


Julian's Body

by daintylemonsquare



Category: Dalton Academy - Fandom, Dalton Academy Series
Genre: And a lot of characters in Dalton who die, F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-24
Updated: 2019-02-02
Packaged: 2019-06-15 09:46:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 14
Words: 51,302
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15410226
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/daintylemonsquare/pseuds/daintylemonsquare
Summary: A newly possessed high school golden boy turns into a incubus who specializes in killing his classmates. Can his best friend put an end to the horror?Original Idea of Julian's Body was brought to you by Strawbabyy (Hallie) from plurk <3 Without her, this fic wouldn't exist. I just put the words up.





	1. Cat and Mouse

**Author's Note:**

> ignore all grammatical errors thanks and im sorry.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Julian convinces his best friend Reed to watch this new band play at Scandals. There, poor decisions were always made. Tonight involved the worst decision.

Reed Van Kamp and Julian Larson grew to be an odd pair of best friends.

When they were younger, it was expected that they’d be seen together. Their moms worked in the same industry, though in different departments. Their dads invited the other for beer and grilling. Just two boys with no one else to play with. There were no social hierarchies to break. No reputations to uphold. It was a clumsy little boy who always walked into everything, even though the optometrist said his eyesight was perfect, and the friend who laughed as he helped him off the ground. It was a shining boy who had all the toys he could dream of, although he did snatch ones he didn’t have, and the little boy who told him not to do it and turned away, pretending nothing was amiss, when he did. As their parents divorced, they had each other to wade through it. They had a way with each other.

Puberty hit Julian harder than Reed. While Julian had grown into his prowling grace, Reed’s shoulders remained perpetually hunched, as though trying to make himself smaller and less prone to hitting things he wasn’t meant to. Julian commanded people’s attention. Reed shied, even balked, from it. He’d always end up doing something embarrassing by accident. Julian put himself through everything that got put everyone’s eyes on him—student council, theater, talent shows, debate, the honor roll. If it got him praise, he did it with ease, though he’d move on to the next role at the drop of a hat. Reed stuck to the peace of art. Drawings, paintings, sculptures. Nothing that gave him any more than extra credit and mild applause from the other art kids. Julian lost his virginity early on and then proceeded to take a few of them away from girls and, after coming out as bi in junior year, boys in the school district. He dated, though sparingly. Nothing that lasted a whole year. Reed hadn’t dated anyone until someone was bold enough to get through the dragon that was Julian Larson and ask him out on a date. Even then, it wasn’t someone he actively pursued and it happened at the tail end of his junior year.

And yet here they were. Still seeing each other on the weekends to watch the same five movies together. Still shopping together. Still spending summer days at Julian’s pool. Still pending summer nights looking at the stars from Reed’s room. Still the boy who fell over after a gust of wind, still the boy who laughed as he helped.

Reed thought that after Julian had begun shaving and dating all those cheerleaders, he’d be tossed aside like Julian used to with toys he no longer enjoyed. He was glad to be wrong. He didn’t think he’d survive high school without Julian. He had made Reed more confident, or as confident as he would ever be. Just being around him made Reed invincible and capable. He was the one who pushed Reed to get that art scholarship. He was the one who told him dating Shane was a good idea. He was there when Reed told his parents as Reed was with him. It was in his smile and his voice and the way he played with Reed’s curls as he tried to convince him to get over himself and live a little. It created a wave of tingles across Reed’s arms. He felt stronger under Julian’s touch. For that, he was grateful until the end of their lives.

So when Julian sauntered to his locker with that smile of his that always bordered on flirtatious, even around (or especially around) authority figures, and said, “There’s this new indie band playing at _Scandals_ tonight. Wanna come?” Reed said, “Yes.” He had a date with Shane that night but they could always move it tomorrow. Shane was just his boyfriend. They were graduating soon. Reed couldn’t afford to have Julian be bored of him now.

“Okay, wear something cute,” Julian said with a wink. Then he left, grinning over his shoulder, to cheer practice. That was his thing this year. A cheerleader as well as student body president. He claimed it was for college application. Reed knew better than anyone else that Julian got early admission to that acting school one state over. It wasn’t quite Julliard, but Julian was still proud to get accepted, saying it would open enough windows for him to break in.

Julian was specific about what cute meant. Since they were going to _Scandals_ , and Julian never went to _Scandals_ without intent, Reed made sure that he picked an outfit that he didn’t mind getting beer spilled on. The way he dressed was the one thing that Reed was better at than Julian, other than painting. Tonight he was going for a more understated look.

“What do you think looks better?” Reed held up two pairs of sneakers. He barely wore sneakers to school, let alone outside school.

“Didn’t Julian ask you to look cute?” Shane tilted his head at Reed’s outfit. Compared to his baggy shirt and too-distressed jeans, Reed’s look was a lightyear better.

“This is cute.”

“This is not your regular cute.” Shane sat up and opened his arms to Reed. “Where’s the bowtie? The leather? The scarf?”

“I’m taking a scarf,” Reed argued, picking up the said a black and white ombre scarf.

“That’s not your cute scarf,” Shane retorted.

“Well, I don’t want to get my good stuff covered in sweat and beer. You know I’ll trip over and get soaked at some point during the night.” Reed learned to lie with Julian. He called it acting but it still what it was. Julian had already hijacked this night from Shane. He didn’t want Shane to have any more ammunition against Julian.

“Which is why I should be there. To protect you.” Shane buried his face into Reed’s chest, arms tightening around his waist.

Reed chuckled as he threaded his fingers through Shane’s curls. “I told you. It’s emergency friend night. He found out about this band yesterday and got real into their music. He wants me to be there. And you know I’m going to be the only one who’ll keep him from making bad decisions.”

“That, and he doesn’t want me to be there,” Shane added.

Reed sighed and kissed the top of his head. After getting over that first hurdle, both of them played tug of war with Reed’s time and attention. Neither was quite as happy to see the other. Julian often said that Reed could do better. That he just allowed Shane just so Reed could have a normal high school life before it ended. Shane admitted that he never understood why someone as gentle as Reed could be around someone as stuck-up as Julian. That Julian wasn’t a very good influence. Reed told him that Shane sounded like his mom.

They tried to get along for Reed’s sake. He did wish that they’d bury the hatchet by the time they graduated. Distance could do the two of them some good.

The doorbell rang then a pebble got thrown at the window. “Julian’s here,” Shane grumbled.

“C’mon Reedy,” Julian called. “Untangle your curls from your boyfriend’s and let’s go!”

“You heard him,” Reed smiled and tilted Shane’s face upward. He continued to smile as Shane gave him a puppy pout, complete with whining and pawing at his jeans. He leaned in, catching his bottom lip with his teeth, leading them into a short kiss. His fingers tightened around the roots of Shane’s hair. He opened his mouth just enough so he could taste the soda on the tip of Shane’s tongue. He pulled away before Julian could knock on his door. “Will that get you through tonight?” Shane, whose face was bright pink, nodded.

Julian barged in after two knocks. “Thank god I didn’t walk into you sucking face. I’m not in the mood to watch two muppets going at it and then give them pointers.”

Shane bristled under Reed’s hands. “Hello, Julian.”

“Shamderson.” Julian nodded. “Hurry up. I don’t want to be overtaken by wannabe fanboys or girls. The bassist is the hottest out of all of them. And you know what they say about bassists…”

Reed turned away from the insinuation, face hot and bothered. He got his shoes on as fast as he could. Julian tapped his shoes faster to the beat of each second that ticked by. Julian took a picture of himself then continued to tap away on his phone. Shane filled the silence with conversation, asking Julian who the band was. He said, “The Next Exit.”

“Are they on Spotify?”

“Nope.”

“How did you even find them?”

“Not everything good is on Spotify.” Julian’s voice cracked like a whip. “And I’m the elitist. Please.” He scoffed. “I found them on YouTube. They have an EP on bandcamp. I’m calling it right now. They’re gonna be big and you know I’m never wrong about these things.”

Reed laughed. “That was one time!”

“One time, big time. I swear I’m like a lucky charm to small town bands. If I hadn’t had sex with Sinny and Mikey, they wouldn’t have been as big as they are now. And they are...quite big.”

“Jesus Christ,” Shane muttered.

“Jesus has better things to do,” Julian replied.

“You’re such a slut,” Reed teased as he stood up and got his house keys.

“That’s biphobic and you know it.” Julian poked him in the rib.

They jogged down the stairs, said goodbye to Reed’s mom, and separated from Shane. The car was in one direction, Shane’s house in another, three blocks away.

“Stop kidnapping my boyfriend,” Shane called.

“I saw him first,” Julian shouted over his shoulder. He shared a grin with Reed.

* * *

 

The Next Exit looked like the type of band that would play in _Scandals_. Just a bunch of white boys trying to fit in their leather jackets while trying to look intimidating amidst the adults that filled the room. Reed was intimidated, despite the band not being any older than him, according to Julian. Julian, on the other hand, wasn’t.

“He totally looked at you,” Julian whispered. His breath sent a shiver down Reed’s neck.

“Are you sure he wasn’t looking at you?” As everyone in the room had already done at least twice.

Julian turned to the bar and hid his ass behind a stool. He turned to Reed. “Still looking?”

Reed glanced at the stage and the one behind the drums was casting glances at him and turned away when their eyes met. He had to admit. The validation felt good. “Does it matter? I’m with Shane.”

“And you’ll be together forever and have curly babies, I know. Gag me.” Julian chuckled as the bartender came back with a drink he wasn’t allowed to give him. “I’m just saying, when we get to college, you should have your options open. There’s a whole world out there.”

“Shane’s my whole world,” Reed countered.

As expected, Julian rolled his eyes far back and pretended to vomit. Reed laughed. “Whatever,” Julian said. “There’s nothing wrong with a little flirt. Maybe you’ll learn something and use it on Shamderson.”

“Why do you insist on calling him that?”

“Because calling him the F-word is tasteless and if I have to resort to a mediocre nickname, so be it.” Julian tugged on Reed’s elbow and led him to the stage. “Just smile and be pretty. When they get famous, they won’t be allowed to be queer so this might be his only shot to be seduced by your little gay wiles. But the bassist is mine.”

“How do you know?”

“Got a general vibe after going through the social media. Tonight, I caught him staring at my ass when I passed by the stage to pretend to use the bathroom.” Reed admired Julian and how easy he made life out to be. He couldn’t get to the stage without tripping over someone and bumping his knee into a corner.

“Everyone looks at your ass while you’re passing by,” Reed countered.

“True.” Julian got to the stage. “Hi, I’m Julian, this is Reed.You’re Jake, right? Jake Paige?”

Jake turned. His frown softened when he saw Julian then turned to Reed. His bright eyes narrowed a fraction as it went from Reed’s eyes to his sneakers. Reed shrunk away an inch behind Julian. Julian maintained his posture when Jake’s eyes raked him over with a concurrent, “Hi there. That’s me. You know the band?”

“We have. You’re pretty recent but we’ve listened to all your songs on repeat. They’re very good. Do you all write?” Julian continued. Reed wouldn’t go as far as describe it as “gushed.” Julian never gushed. He showed enough interest for it to titillate the other person, but not so much that they wouldn’t chase after him. Reed could never find that balance (he never found literal balance either). He was lucky Shane was the way he was or he was going to be alone forever.

“That’s mostly on Robin and Clay.” He pointed to the boy doing vocal warm-ups. “The rest dabble but it’s whatever,” he said with the perfect tone of indifference. “We, Jasper and I, contribute where we can.”

“Cool.” Julian drank from his glass. Reed noted the clench of his jaw but nothing else. He maintained eye contact with him. Jake Paige didn’t stand a chance.

“What’s that?” Jake held out his hand. “May I?”

“Whisky,” Julian answered and handed it over.

Jake finished the rest of it and couldn’t help the grimace that worked its way around his face. “Wow, that’s a strong one. Aren’t you a bit too young to get this here?” Jake returned the glass as he wiped his lips with the back of his hand.

Julian shrugged. “The bartender owes me. He still owes me, actually.”

Jake smirked. “I’ll have another one of that, if that’s okay.”

“Coming right up. You better kill it on stage or you’re making me lose favors for nothing.” Julian turned to Reed and whispered, “Grab us a spot. Try to talk to the drummer. He’s still looking.”

“But—”

“Just be nice. I’ll be back.”

Reed tilted his head to the band, who couldn’t care less about him. The drummer was still casting glances at him but it made him turn away to the pinball machine. He never did well around people without Julian or Shane or a canvas in front of him. He’d probably start and end the conversation with “I have a boyfriend!” Julian was going to be disappointed but that was better than him being embarrassed. That drummer wanted something. It was nothing Reed could ever give.

He busied himself at the pinball machine just behind a wall. His scarf got caught in it as he released the plunger. He cut his hand on a stray piece of metal. He remained where he was. He could hear the band talking about him. About them.

“What about the tiny one? He screams virginal,” one said.

“Sure, but he looks like the Jiminy Cricket of the two. He won’t come without a fuss. We don’t want to create any more fusses,” Jake replied. “The other one seems down.”

“That guy?” A third voice join the conversation. “He’s not a virgin.”

“Nah,” Jake answered. “My brother was a private school asshole in a small town like this. I’ve met guys like him. Taken their virginities too. They’re pretty and they’re pompous but sheltered. In their own bubble. They like to flirt but the second you put the moves on them and get them to a bed, they’re puppies. If we can just get rid of his conscience.”

“I think I’ve got something,” the third voice said. Reed so badly wanted to look over to give them faces but he couldn’t make it obvious that he’d been eavesdropping.

“Hey, can you guys stop plotting for a second and help me out here?”

Reed’s chest was tightening around the heart that threatened to yank him by the veins so it could run away. He peeked over the wall to see the band preoccupied with soundchecking. Then he scurried to Julian, almost bumping into him and throwing the drinks into that new shirt they’d picked out just a couple of days before.

“Reed!” Julian held the drinks above their heads.

“Sorry!” Reed began to stammer.

“Breathe. Okay, are you breathing?” Reed nodded. “Now spit it out.”

“I think they’re up to something. Nothing good. They were talking about the two of us like we were meat. I don’t think we can trust them. They’re coming off sketchy. They were talking about how we were virgins and how they’re going to try and drug us or something.”

“Virgins? The two of us?” Reed curled up inside. Of all the things Julian took note of, it was that detail. “All my virginities have been taken. Then again,” Julian paused, licking his lips. “This could still be interesting. I do like a little bit of roleplay.”

“Julian,” Reed begged. “Let’s just get out of here. They’re not worth it.” He took Julian’s hand.

“Hey.” Julian squeezed and threaded their fingers together. “Do you trust me?”

Without hesitation, Reed replied, “Yes.”

“Then let me see if I can’t play the run around with these guys. They’re legitimately a good band. I want to hear them live. If they’re as bad as you say they are, wouldn’t it be more fun if we mess with them too? Make them chase and not let them catch us? You’ll love the look on their faces if we go home without them.” Julian gave one glass to a theater kid Reed vaguely knew. “The second it gets too much, I promise we’ll go, but tonight’s still our night out. Let’s make it an adventure, shall we?”

“But…”

“I thought you said you trusted me,” Julian prodded.

Reed glanced at the band, whose microphones were already on. He turned to Julian, whose smile remained gentle but his hand around his remained firm. Arguing with him was no use. Reed wished he hadn’t said anything but he wouldn’t be able to live with himself if something happened to Julian without trying. His mind conjured dark images. He looked down to their hands and chased those thoughts away with memories of Julian winning that inter-school debate, playing those roles at plays, fighting back those bullies with his mouth and his fists. If anyone could handle that band, it was Julian.

“I don’t want you to get hurt,” Reed added weakly.

“I won’t.” Julian kissed his forehead. “I promise. I’ll be fine. We’ll both be.” He wrapped their pinkies together.

“Thanks for having us tonight, _Scandals_ ,” the lead, Robin, announced. Julian grinned at Reed and brought him to the stage before anyone else could converge. He held out the glass to Jake, who saluted him with it. Julian giggled. Julian never giggled without a purpose. Reed recognized this as the start of Julian’s roleplay. His finger held onto Julian’s through a couple of songs. He reminded himself that Julian was in control. He was always in control. If he said they were going to be fine, Reed was going to believe him.

After met with a smattering of polite applause, Robin continued, “This is our first song and we hope you like it.”

The set was great. Had it not been marred by the impression they left Reed while he waited for Julian to return, he would’ve enjoyed it. For most of their time on stage, he was left to wonder how often they went to towns like theirs and assaulted people there. And if it wasn’t Julian or him, any of the people in this crowd could be their targets. The two of them were mere options. Reed couldn’t warn everyone in this room without causing trouble. He prayed to anyone who would listen that the band would leave them alone the second they got out of here or when Julian gave them too much of a hard time.

For the rest of the night, the band hung around a little bit at one corner of the bar. They flashed their ID’s and they got their drinks, except for Jake, who claimed he was going to drive. The drinks Julian gave him earlier was enough. Julian and Reed sat with them. Julian did most of the talking, Reed spoke when he was spoken to.

Jake looked smug, an expression that had Reed’s stomach churning out bile. He couldn’t look at him without glaring and that would cause way more issues than he was ready to carry. It was Julian. He was hamming it up for all of them. He was still flirting but he wasn’t as overt about it. There was hesitation, a meekness that Reed guessed was inspired by himself. He sat wide-eyed as he listened to stories from the band about their little tour. He feigned bad lying when the band urged him to share stories about his escapades. He even threw Reed under the bus for maximum fake. Reed was still a bad liar even after Julian’s pointers.

The band members passed a look down the line while Julian fumbled with his story. Reed didn’t drink anything that was out of his hands for more than a second but seeing that made him want to throw up. Julian held his hand under the table. Jake had an arm around him. His signature smirk appeared for a second, reminding Reed that all was well.

“Do you liked baked goods?” Jasper held out a plastic box of brownies.

Reed and Julian shared a look. Reed turned his nose to one side then the other. Julian said, “You bake, huh? That another hobby?”

“It passes the time. Gives me extra cash.” Jasper shrugged.

Julian hummed. He took the box and then held it out to Reed. “Take some,” he said.

“I don’t—”

“Don’t be scared. It’ll be fine,” Julian interrupted.

With a shaky hand, Reed took the box. Julian’s heel found the center of his crotch, causing Reed to drop it on the table, tipping out the contents. “Reed! C’mon!” Julian hurried to put the brownies back into the box. “I’m so sorry about him. He’s a total klutz. I have to follow him around or he’d fall over and die.” There was a nervous chuckle. Julian was rarely nervous. “I hope these are still okay.”

“Five second rule,” Jasper said.

Julian took one and held the box out again to Reed. Before Reed could say anything, Julian pulled it away, “Oh shit. Your mom would murder me if you got sick because you ate something off a table.” He turned to the band. “I’m sorry. His stomach is, like, super sensitive and I’m already pushing my luck with his mom as it is.” He gestured to the bar.

“It’s cool, it’s cool. No need to freak out, babe,” Jake cooed as his fingers brushed over Julian’s shoulder.

Julian paused before putting the brownie in his mouth. “Wait. I’m not going to do this by myself, am I? Wouldn’t it be fun if more of us ate some?” Julian held the brownies towards the band. Reed noted, with pride and relief, that the brownies, if they were in order, would be messed up now.

The band shared a look. Jasper took one, so did Clay. Robin raised his hands. “Not tonight. I’ve already drunk more than I should’ve. It’s not good to mix them often.”

Jake snorted. “Pussy.”

“Says the designated driver,” Robin shot back.

Julian let himself eat the brownie after Jasper and Clay ate them. It wasn’t ideal but Reed knew that backing out now, especially with the patrons thinning, wasn’t a good idea. He went to the bathroom to text Shane to stay awake before the brownies took effect. He might need to pick the two of them up.

An hour passed and the bar was closing soon. The band had overstayed their welcome by a few minutes, not that they’d caused much of a ruckus. Clay was giggling to himself. Jasper had zoned out and stared at the same framed photo of a painting. Julian was curled around Jake, who murmured words that Reed knew couldn’t be helpful and shouldn’t be trusted. His knees jiggled. Shane was on his way. Julian had a squiggly grin on him, like he wasn’t putting it on right. He was counting all the colors in Jake’s eyes. Reed knew Shane had his mom drive him over so he couldn’t exactly demand him to arrive faster. And he couldn’t leave Julian to make a phone call. Not in the state he was in.

They went out to the cold, fall night. Reed bundled his scarf around and crossed his arms. He held tight to the keys in his hands, ready to tantrum his way out if need be. He kept his eyes on Julian, who wasn’t letting go of Jake.

“Do you have a car?” Jake asked.

“Yeah. I should really be taking Julian home now. With me,” Reed stammered.

“You don’t know how to drive though.” Julian swung around and then spun twice more. “You’ll both kill us and then you’ll be in so much trouble,” he sang.

“We can drive you home,” Jake offered.

“No. We’re good. My boyfriend is picking us up,” Reed continued to stammer but seeing the van parked a few meters away made him more certain that he should’ve demanded to go home earlier.

“Your boyfriend?” Robin whirled around from corralling their two other band members. “You’ve got—he’s got a boyfriend.” He turned to Jake.

“Yeah. He’s, um, the quarterback and is literally twice my size. So, he can take care of us. Yeah,” Reed replied. It could’ve been better.

“Shane is a noodle boy with noodle hair!” Julian put his arms around Jake’s shoulders and went on his toes. “Reedy, don’t be such a whore right now,” he whined. “Jake’s being so nice to us and he’s offering to give us a ride. Home is just ten minutes away by car. It’ll be fine.”

“You know we have to stay here. You promised,” Reed plead. “You promised your mom you’d bring her car back in one piece or she won’t get you that car for graduation.” Julian always did say the best lies were hidden in the truth. He hoped he was doing this correctly.

Julian rolled his eyes and his body went with the momentum. “Lighten up. If you want to stay out here and freeze your asscheeks off while you wait for your beloved,” he mocked, “then you do that. You’re a big boy now. I’m gonna go with Jake and I’m going to lie down in his van and we’re going to listen to all the new songs and then he’s going to feed me all those corn chips he promised and then he’s going to carry me to my room and then kiss me goodnight. Right, Jake?”

“Whatever you say, babe.”

“You’re on a diet,” Reed said. His eyes were trained on the ground and he was strangling his scarf. He couldn’t move. He didn’t know what to do. He couldn’t fend them off. Not without Julian on his side.

“Screw the diet.” Julian began walking away with Jake and the others.

“Julian! Shane’s going to be here any second. Please come back. We have chips back home.” Reed stumbled after them. The rocks that filled the parking lot weren’t easy on him.

“I’m going an adventure. You don’t like going on them so don’t harsh my vibes by deciding to come with. I’ll be fine. I can handle myself,” Julian replied without turning back.

“You heard him,” Jake said over his shoulder. “He’s going on an adventure. One that only he could handle.”

Robin looked at Reed with worry. Jake yanked him backwards and muttered something, an eye darting towards Reed. That kept him in place. He watched, petrified, as Julian climbed into the van and winked. He stood there, his throat clenched and his breath hitched. Everything he wanted to say and do were unable to escape his body. It was only when the van drove away that Reed let himself breathe. He wasn’t breathing properly. He called Julian’s phone but it went straight to voicemail after a few attempts. He couldn’t figure out how to breath properly.

Shane found him hunched over a puddle of vomit. Reed couldn’t speak until they were in Julian’s family car. He sobbed through the story, taking many breaks in between. Guilt weighed on him when Shane asked if he got pictures of the van’s plate number or the van itself. There were so many things he should’ve done to save Julian, but didn’t. The smell of Julian’s cologne pierced with every breath. It taunted and accused him. Julian was going to die. Julian was dying. Julian was dead. All because he didn’t have the backbone to save him. And his fate before death could be worse with the hungry looks that Jake gave him. No one deserved to die with that as their last memory.

Shane did what he could to soothe him. They would figure it out in the morning. Julian had gone on his own accord. It was just going to be a normal hook-up and Julian was going to be fine, if not a bit sore. If he didn’t show up tomorrow, they were going to call the police. Reed had pictures of them. Julian had at least thought of that.

“And if anyone was going to survive those wannabe rockers, even stoned, would be Julian. Evil doesn’t die so easily.” That got a chuckle out of him and he hated himself for it.

Reed relented. Shane was right. There was no use putting them both in danger and in trouble. Julian did leave on his own. He wasn’t going to tell them that there was drugs and underage drinking involved. It would throw his credibility off. If there was a missing person, they’d listen.

He let Shane drive him home. Shane kissed him until he was soft and calm. He promised they’d both drive to Julian’s place the next morning to return Julian’s car. That was how they would find out first thing in the morning if they should go to the police. Reed begged Shane to drive around Julian’s house for ten more minutes just in case. Shane sighed but agreed. That put Reed’s mind below overdrive.

There was no way for him to sleep. All those scenarios in his head kept popping up in the most awful of lights. He kept checking his phone to see if Shane had any updates. When nothing happened in five minutes, he started to cry again.

It only stopped to hear a knock on the door. He held his breath. That could’ve just been house settling noises. Or the wind. Or his mom begging for reprieve from his pacing. (That last one was a stretch. She’d been taking some sleeping pills to aide with her insomnia, though he knew she skipped them from time to time.) He rationalized until a pebble struck his bedroom window. He ran to it and saw no one. He ran his finger over the space where the pebble hit. There was a dent in that spot where the glass got worn but not cracked. It was the same spot Julian always aimed for. He wanted to see if he could break it by throwing the pebbles there. Even Shane couldn’t get it precise.

He ran downstairs, holding onto the banister so he wouldn’t break his neck like he almost did during his freshman year. He would live with the woodburn. He turned on every light on his way. He pulled open the door and Julian wasn’t there. His heart sank. He couldn’t have imagined it. Only Julian was able to hit that mark.

Reed closed the door and locked it. His heart pounded with anxiety. Every dark corner of his house suddenly a trap. He never did get over his childhood fear of the dark. Julian had forced him to watch all those horror movies when they were younger. He still couldn’t look at a mirror and anticipate a creepy apparition behind him. Coupled with the pebble, he was glued with his back to the door.

As he worked up the bravery to go up the stairs again and turning off the lights as he did, there was a clatter in the kitchen. That was where all the weapons were. Reed wished he kept that baseball bat his dad bought him when they thought he could be a player without hitting himself and everyone in the team by accident at the same time.

Reed knew this was what white people did to get themselves killed in movies, but he couldn’t resist the hope that came with it. “Julian? Is that you?” He said as loud as he could.

The clattering stopped. Reed prepared himself to hear the worst or for a jumpscare to rise from the floorboards. Instead he heard, “Reed.” The voice was croaked and chapped but Reed recognized Julian’s voice when he heard it.

Reed ran to the kitchen. Not caring how Julian got in. As long as he was fine, Reed was overjoyed.

But he wasn’t fine. Reed almost didn’t catch his scream when he saw Julian crouched by the open fridge with a plate of leftover pesto pasta on the floor. In the dim, unflattering light of the fridge, Julian still looked gorgeous. His cheekbones were in the perfect shadows. His lashes curled. His eyes the perfect shade of light brown. His wavy hair windswept. What hung below him was different. His lips were busted open in two areas, though they’d since clotted over. His clothes were covered in mud, ripped, and discolored. As Reed stepped closer, he gasped and looked for a towel.

“Julian. Jules. Hey. Are you still bleeding? Do you need to go to the hospital?” Reed pressed the towel to Julian’s stomach but found that the blood had crusted over. There was enough blood to worry him but Julian was upright, for the most part. “Whose…” He reached for Julian but it was snatched before he could get near it. Julian snarled. He’d never held Reed his hard before, not even when they fought over the last pair of boots during a Black Friday sale. “Ow!” Julian roared. It wasn’t a regular roar a human could make either. It rocked the windows. Reed felt it in the core of his heart. Vibrations were felt in all the wrong places as Reed scrambled backwards. The clots on his lips tore open and blood began to run down his chin. Belatedly, as Julian dug into the pesto, Reed wondered if he’d seen Julian’s eyes change shape and color.

Reed watched Julian stuff his mouth faster than he’d ever seen. Half of the pesto was gone, and there was a lot left over from his mom’s birthday party a couple of days ago. Julian paused. He gagged and not in the way he did to tease Reed. It was wet and loud. He could hear the vomit grumble in his stomach even with the distance between them. Julian hacked. He leaned on the floor with both hands. He drew a deep, tortured breath, then heaved.

Waves upon waves of black sludge spewed from his mouth. He already vomited whatever he ate tonight but Reed felt nauseated. The glossy, black ooze pooled, running towards him. His stomach did a cartwheel when he saw spines grow out of it. They undulated as though alive, reaching for him. He looked to Julian, who was looking at him. The whites of his eyes were bloodshot. His breathing was labored. The sludge dripped down his chin.

Reed scrambled to his knees then to his feet. Julian was here but he wasn’t well. That band did something to him and he wasn’t going to not do anything ever again.

Before he could get a few steps away from the kitchen, something damp caught his ankle. This had happened enough times that Reed twisted his body and held his head. The impact was hard on his side and shoulder but it was better than getting a concussion again. He got dragged back into the darkness. There was a telltale rip beneath him and a button clattered away. He got flipped over so fast, he swore he felt himself leave the ground for an inch and a second. His landed on his back with a bruising thump.

“Ju—”

“Shhh.” Julian put a black, moist finger on his lips. The smell was rancid. It made Reed’s eyes water from the fumes. His legs were forced apart. Julian slotted himself between them. Again, Reed couldn’t tell of Julian’s eyes changed shape or if it was just the lack of light and the adrenaline. Another damp hand ran up his side. He didn’t want to understand what was happening. This wasn’t like Julian. This didn’t feel like Julian.

Julian ran that finger across his lips. Julian pressed their hips together. “Ah,” he whispered. Reed’s lips trembled open, not wanting to believe what was happening between him and Julian.

“Julian...please...whatever you’re doing...stop,” Reed squeaked out. His tightened knuckles touched the floor. He didn’t know what to do. He could hit Julian but Julian could hit him back. Harder, even. He wasn’t opposed to tripping him and dragging him back like an animal. He didn’t want to know what Julian was capable of in this state.

The tips of their lips met but it wasn't quite a kiss. Julian's lips were chapped and frayed as he dragged them across Reed's. Something dripped into his mouth. First it was metallic, like that penny he almost swallowed when he was younger. Then it was rotten. That second one was heavier, more viscous. They burned as they mingled on Reed's tongue. Tears began to roll down his eyes from the pain and the terror. He wondered if they’d drugged him and convinced him to kill Reed then himself. It happened in one of those true crime horrors Julian made him watch. He was assured that was never going to happen to him. Julian did the reassuring. He hated that this was happening to both of them.

Julian pressed himself harder against Reed. He whimpered. Julian dropped his head. His breath was hot. His body was getting hotter by the second. Reed felt a rumble jump from his stomach to his throat. He could hear it ease out of Julian’s mouth. “Are you afraid?” He exhaled.

Reed whimpered again and closed his eyes. Julian had his lips on Reed’s skin. His pulse grew all the more frantic as he sensed the cool tips of teeth. Julian ran them across the artery, breathing hot, damp air. “Please,” he squeaked again. “Stop. You’re scaring me. Jules.”

There was a rush of frustration in Julian’s breath. He pushed himself off of Reed. He gasped when it happened, like he just resurfaced from almost drowning. Julian brushed him across the floor with one foot. He hit the counter and he yowled after the pain decided to make itself known. Julian stared at him for a moment then stumbled away.

“Julian?” Reed sat up. The door unlocked and creaked open. “Julian!” Reed crawled after him, wishing he’d say something. All he got in response was a slammed door.

The house was silent apart from the fridge’s hum. Reed’s heart refused to calm. His head refused to stay put. He glanced at the black sludge and the half-eaten pesto. He had no idea what to do next.


	2. Let's Prey

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dwight tries to help Julian go home.

It had been years since Dwight was last afraid of the dark. There was no inherent evil to the absence of light. Comfort and peace could be found faster in those shadowy areas. There was safety under its cover. The darkness never judged or exposed anyone like the light. There was more to it than monsters and ghosts. 

Nevertheless, those beings that hid in it weren’t all good so his friends and him took it upon themselves to protect the town from those of which they couldn’t comprehend. Tonight was his turn to do patrols. From their sources, there was some beast roaming their area. Morgan said it was a wendigo, but Sadie shot him down. Wendigos didn’t venture too close to the city. They had their woods but it wasn’t as dense as the usual haunts. Still, Sadie gave him a flare. Her other theory was a incubus, which was why she wasn’t allowed out until they were sure it was either vanquished or moved on. 

Sadie wasn’t too worried but Dwight was. He couldn’t have an incubus running around and he knew Sadie was going to get stir crazy if she wasn’t allowed out at night. She already made a small stink about missing a waning quarter moon for a ritual she wanted to do by the waterfall. The faster they got confirmation about what they were dealing with, the better. 

“All clear on your end?” Lucas asked over the phone. 

“Pretty clear,” Dwight answered. He was walking by the treeline at the park, waiting for any sign of trouble. He’d been in the woods a few minutes ago without finding anything. “I’m heading to my car. It seems like a quiet night.”

Lucas agreed with a nod. “Maybe. Wanna grab some food before we head home?”

“Nah, I want to stay out for another hour. Maybe it’s just waiting for a certain time.”

“Cryptids don’t care about the three-AM thing, remember?” Lucas chuckled. 

“Yeah, but color me cautious,” Dwight said. 

“Okay then. Call me if you need anything. I’ll be snacking.”

The call ended and Dwight hitched up his crossbow on his shoulder. After a few minutes of patrolling, Dwight returned to the park’s main area. He looked up at the abandoned swimming pool up on the hill. They’d swept that place a few days back. He thought about going up there to triple-check when he saw a figure stumble into the trees across the street. Dwight checked his flare and then loaded his crossbow before jogging to the other side. He raised his weapon to eye level, creeping towards the rustling branches. He sent the group a text with his location and what he was investigating. He put his phone to its stillest, most silent setting, before entering. 

He turned on the flashlight he’d attached to his crossbow. The leaves hadn’t fallen too much yet so his steps weren’t hard to conceal. He parsed out the noise from the wind’s whispers and the animals that scurried around. He took note of his uneven terrain. He whirled around for a moment to see the easiest points of escape then continued his search. 

That wasn’t a mere animal. Not many of them walked on their hind legs in these parts. It wasn’t a person either. No one he knew, at least. His friends and him were the only ones who went out at this time of night. Most of the drunks stayed by the streetlights, singing and laughing and sometimes fighting to their heart’s content. They weren’t quiet or subtle. 

Which was why Julian Larson startled a part of his soul out of him when his flashlight met him. He swore he passed his light over that tree moving northwest. Julian wasn’t there. Now he was. He must’ve crept into place when an owl fluttered onto a branch with a screech. 

Dwight knew Julian Larson. They went to the same middle school but hadn’t spoken to one another at all. He didn’t keep tabs on him but Julian’s name was on everyone’s mouth whenever he did something or someone. He was hard to avoid around any school. Seeing him here in the dark, looking sullen, messy, and stoned wasn’t a complete surprise. Dwight heard there was a band playing in  _ Scandals _ tonight. He also heard that Julian had bribed the bartender to give him drinks even if he was underage. Morgan had showed them the band and, objectively, they were a group of attractive young men. The light was still cast on Julian’s face. His lips were split. The blood had since dried into dark splotches down his mouth. His eyes were dark and heavy. He was almost as pale as Dwight and that kicked his apprehension into concern. Dwight lowered his weapon. 

“Julian, what are you doing here?” 

“Going home…” Julian’s voice trailed and his eyes wandered around him. “I’m hungry…” 

“You look like you need to go to a hospital,” Dwight said. 

Julian shook his head and stumbled forward. “No. I’m just woozy,” he slurred. “So hungry…” He tilted forward. 

Dwight hurried to Julian’s side before he planted himself into the ground. He moved his gear around to get a better hold of Julian. His shirt was crusty and ripped. He smelled of blood and of halfway digested alcohol. Dwight held him up but took a step back. He was very aware of how many motions it would take to get his crossbow up. “What happened to you?” He asked. 

“Stuff…” Julian dragged the last letter as he shuffled forward. Dwight followed to make sure he didn’t hurt himself and at the same time to make sure he didn’t stray from Dwight’s sight. 

“Are you hurt? Did someone hurt you?” 

Julian stopped walking to the treeline. There was no breeze. The animals had stopped to watch or listen or hide. Dwight ran a finger around the trigger. All he could hear was Julian’s harsh and ragged breaths. “Yes,” Julian finally said. 

“Who?” 

“Doesn’t matter…” He eased out of Dwight’s hold and landed on a tree. Julian turned around, leaning on the trunk. Some light from the park reached their area. Dwight had grown accustomed enough to the darkness that he could see the holes in Julian’s clothes and the unmarred skin underneath. He saw the tiniest idea of a smile forming on his lips though his eyes struggled to remain focused. 

Dwight’s stomach turned and churned out anger when he started to infer. The band. The bar. The destroyed look of who was supposed to be the most beautiful and composed boy in the school district. He hated that it was basic enough to deduce. 

“It’s not that,” Julian said. 

“What do you mean?” 

“You’ve got a look on your face.” Julian leaned forward and touched both of Dwight’s cheeks. When he moved back to the trunk, Dwight found himself moving closer. Julian slid his hands down Dwight’s chest. His spine rattled with an anticipation he didn’t recognize. “I wasn’t hurt like that. Not the way your face was making. But I like that you were angry. You’re that kind of person and I like that about you.” 

Julian drew Dwight closer by the belt. His trains of thought began to crash into one another as he tried to direct them to the right tracks. He hadn’t expected Julian to be warm when their bodies met. “Do you even know who I am?” Dwight asked. 

Julian smiled. “Thomas, right?” He began unbuckling his belt as the tips of his lips murmured along his neck. Dwight couldn’t conjure any resentment or annoyance with his name. Everything was just Julian. “I never forget a pretty face. You grew up well. Filled out those limbs.” Dwight’s mind got dunked into a heady stream of lust when Julian nibbled on his earlobe. His body relaxed, from his toes to the tips of his fingers. Julian shifted under him, into him. Julian’s lengthy exhale made him forget his crossbow for a moment. “You filled out your underwear too, it seems.” 

“What...What’s happening?” Dwight shook his head. This wasn’t what he did. He hadn’t even lost his virginity yet, let alone do anything with anyone in the woods by the park like all the other horny teenagers. None of this was natural to him. He was starting to think this wasn’t the case for Julian either. 

Julian pressed a finger on his lips. They tingled with a small burst of heat that numbed Dwight’s face for a moment. Julian’s hand worked its way down the plane of Dwight’s stomach, across the short dusting of hair there, and below the elastic of his underwear. Julian was smiling now. His teeth weren’t the right color.  Neither were his eyes. 

Dwight let Julian rub him for a second, revelling at the sensation of another’s hand on him. Julian’s lips were on his, ready to catch a moan that was stuck in his throat. He pressed the bolt into Julian’s side and fired. Julian choked on his scream. 

Dwight staggered backwards, his pants shifting lower to his thighs. He hurried to get his crossbow ready to fire again. Julian, breathing through gritted teeth, wrenched the bolt out of his side. “Ow.” He rushed at Dwight and seized the crossbow out of his hands. It splintered against the tree he threw it at.

Dwight pulled his pants up at the same time put a leg up between them to give Julian a kick to his injury. Julian roared, which served to prove Dwight right for attacking him. He ran to the light, fumbling with his phone with one hand and holding his pants in the other. Just as he was about to hit the send button, a huge weight rammed itself onto his back. He hit the ground face first. The world rang within the roots of his teeth. Blood seeped down to his tongue and into his nose. He struggled for air. He tried to go for the flare but Julian grabbed his wrist and twisted it until he let go of the gun. He got lifted by the collar. The light in his periphery began to fade. His heart continued to pound and his mind raced with adrenaline but whenever his body responded, Julian kicked him down. 

He was rolled over. Julian straddled him. His eyes were all white except for the slits in the middle. His body was coming down from where Julian almost took it. Dwight spat blood at him. Julian grabbed him by the shoulders and slammed him to the ground. Dwight thought of his family and friends. He wished to warn them now and not wait for Sadie to call on his soul. He’d always viewed the afterlife from one side. He wasn’t sure how it worked on the other. He wished he could’ve died with a bit more dignity. 

“I thought,” Dwight wheezed, “incubi only preyed on women.” 

“Didn’t you know? I go both ways.” The last thing Dwight saw before the darkness took him in for a permanent residency was Julian’s jaw unhinging to reveal too many rows of sharp teeth. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alternate chapter summary: Dwight is a snacc and Julian is hungry.  
> I didn't mean for the title to be a pun but I went there.


	3. A Harmless Crush

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reed confronts Julian about what he saw that night. A local teen's death also sends a ripple across the town.

The drive to Julian’s house was thick with silence. Reed hadn’t slept much the night before. His fingernails were still black from cleaning up the sludge so his mom wouldn’t notice anything amiss. He held his head in his hand as he leaned on the door. It was like his neck wasn’t screwed in right. Shane asked him if anything was wrong. Reed didn’t know how to explain what he saw and what happened. Shane tried to convince him that Julian was going to be hungover and in bed when they got there, not dead in a ditch. There were no words to counter Shane. He wished he could take his memories and move it into Shane’s so he wouldn’t have to find the words.

That was real. The cramp in his forearms and the smell of bleach in his hands spoke to it. The burning taste in his mouth lingered after brushing thrice with mouthwash. The metallic sting and nauseating pierce of what dripped into him made him shudder. Shane turned up the heater. He tried holding Reed’s hand but he didn’t want to be touched. He felt guilty afterwards but couldn’t summon the energy to apologize for it. He would have to explain why he was acting so strangely and lying to him didn’t sit well with his conscience.

When they arrived at Julian’s house, Reed glanced at the sky. The clouds were marshmallow fluff. The sky was stereotypically blue. The trees had already changed color but in this sunlight it showed vibrance rather than hibernation. Reed didn’t enjoy the severe lack of omens. Last night wasn’t normal. Nothing was good about it. The world’s beauty mocked him, making it seem like a nightmare than the harrowing reality that it was.

Julian answered the door. Reed expected it. Shane was, for the first time ever, glad to see him. “Thank god you’re alive. We’ve both been worried sick!”

“Thanks Mom and Dad,” Julian replied. He pushed his sunglasses to the top of his head. His eyes were clear. There were no cuts or bruises to speak of. He didn’t even look hungover. He was clean, alive, and well. Reed couldn’t put his mind around it.

“Are you okay?” Reed asked.

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Last night—” Reed caught himself. He glanced at Shane and Julian followed his eyes.

“Yeah. Last night.” Julian smiled and beckoned them into the house. Despite the sunny day, the idea of Julian bringing them in to slaughter them into silence jogged through Reed’s mind. “Come in. Mom and I made some pumpkin spice cupcakes for our Halloween party as we get our pool drained in preparation for winter. We need taste testers.” Reed’s mind screamed “poison!” but Reed shook it off. Julian would never hurt him. Not really. That wasn’t quite Julian the night before.

“Shane, you go ahead. Mom’s in the kitchen. Bring her the keys. Tell her I’m going to talk to Reed about my Halloween outfit.” Without waiting for Shane’s reply, Julian pulled Reed up the stairs.

Once Julian closed the door behind him, he said, “You haven’t told Shane about last night?”

Reed shook his head. “I don’t know where to start telling him without sounding like I did drugs too. What happened?”

Julian looked confused for a moment. “What do you mean ‘what happened?’ I got super high and super drunk and then I puked in your kitchen because that pesto was gross cold.”

“The puke was thick as tar and it moved?” Reed retorted.

“I ate a lot of weird shit, okay? The stomach does things when you mix an edible and alcohol.” Then he muttered, “I shouldn’t have let Jake convince me it was a good idea to drink the leftover vodka they had in the trunk.”

“There was blood all over you,” Reed added.

“Jasper shot ketchup at me,” he said in a nursery school teacher voice.

“You roared at me,” Reed continued to whisper. He didn’t want anyone to hear any of this because it was starting to become plain that he’d overreacted.

“I was high,” Julian countered.

“You—” Reed’s body seized at the memory of it. “You—” He didn’t like the word he was going to use against Julian. His voice dropped. “You assaulted me.”

Julian’s demeanor changed. His cinched expression relaxed. He uncrossed his arms.  “I what?”

“You dragged me to the ground and went on top of me and—and—!” Reed flapped his arms around. “You scared me. You were being weird and you were doing things and I couldn’t do anything about it because I was so scared and you were pressing down on me and you almost bit my neck.”

“Reed.” Julian held his hands. “I don’t remember that part. I remember puking and seeing you horrified but not much after that. I thought you’d made me walk home as punishment for ruining your floor or something. I didn’t...Reed. I didn’t mean to do that. Please know that. I would never do anything to hurt you.” Julian Larson never begged for anything. He asked and smiled then whatever he wanted was provided. Even when he was pretending to get what he wanted, Reed could always tell. Like last night, before it all went to shit, Julian was a smidge too coy with an extra sprinkling of childlike wonder.

A sick side of him didn’t want to believe Julian, to have him really beg for his forgiveness, and to have the upper hand in the first time in their relationship. But Reed sighed. If he was begging, it was serious. Julian would never stoop this low. “I know...I know. You scared me, was all.”

Julian went slack with relief. He put his arms around Reed and held the back of his head. “I’m so sorry. I won’t do that to you.”

“It’s okay...You were...You were under the influence of things. Jake made you drink more?” Reed buried his face into Julian’s shoulder.

“Yeah. He was a total dickwad. We didn’t even end up having sex. It was a bad night all together. I should’ve stayed with you.” Julian swayed with Reed for a moment just holding each other. Whatever anger or confusion that Reed had stewing in his chest was poured out. Julian did nothing wrong. Julian was alive and well. He didn’t even seem all that hungover.

“I should listen to you more often,” Julian said.

Reed smiled even though he didn’t think he could ever again after that moment at the parking lot. “That would be a first.” It was so nice to hear Julian’s laugh when he thought he’d lost it.

* * *

 

Reed was greeted with murmurs in the hallway and everyone congregating around people’s phones. At first, it wasn’t too apparent. As were the Monday morning rituals of teenagers. It wasn’t until he saw these hunched groups and heard these hushed tones in every hallway that unease began to build up. His first instinct was to contact Julian.This could be that band’s doing and he wasn’t going to stand for it. He wasn’t quite in the position for threatening anyone, but he was going to be a vocal dissident of their career, if they ever got one. That spiteful thought gave Reed some semblance of comfort.

Shane came up to him when he took his phone out of his bag. “Did you hear? Some guy got mauled in the park on Lavender Drive.”

Reed flushed with relief that it wasn’t some crazy sex video with a drugged Julian. He claimed nothing gross like that happened but Julian did also say he didn’t remember most of the night. “That’s awful.”

“Yeah. He was from the high school at the other end of town. They think it was a bear.”

Reed pulled a dubious face. “Do we even have bears here?”

“Aside from Mr. Pinnock?” Shane wiggled his eyebrows.

“Someone died, Shane.” Still, that got a smile out of him. At least Shane had the decency to look sheepish about it.

“Why’s everyone so depressing to look at?” Julian asked when he arrived.

“Some guy got murdered over the weekend. His friends found his body and everyone’s saying that a bear did it. His friends swear it was something crazy like a werewolf or whatever.” Shane pulled up the news post on his phone and handed it to Julian and Reed.

“It’s not a full moon, brainiac,” Julian said.

“Or whatever!” Shane threw his arms around. “The point is, his friends don’t think it’s a bear and they’re giving all of these crazy possibilities. I think no sane high schooler would have a flare gun and a legit crossbow on them. It could’ve been anything.”

Reed was surprised he didn’t find out about this sooner. Then again, Julian and him had gone to the mall with both of their moms yesterday. The outside world didn’t matter to them when this happened. But as he came upon the picture of the deceased, his heart dropped. It wasn’t just “some guy” it was some kid. A boy their age. If this got to his mom’s ears, she’d lock him in the house forever.

“Didn’t we go to middle school with this guy?” He turned to Julian.

“Did we?” Julian squinted.

“Yeah, you know? Tommy? I think he prefered Dwight,” Reed thought aloud.

Julian shrugged. “Nope. I don’t think I recall. Was he the same kid that you sat with when you hurt yourself in PE?”

“No. That was Todd.”

“Right.”

“I think we’re going to have a school assembly about it today,” Shane said.

Julian groaned. Reed smacked him on the chest lightly. “What? It’s not like the buddy system will fight off a bear.”

“Someone got killed,” Reed reiterated. “Literally a block from here.”

“I know but they don’t have to have the whole student body be there. There’s a way more efficient way of decimating information without taking out a whole period. Like homeroom.” The bell rang and Julian smiled. “Don’t look so glum. I’m sure it was just a freak accident. An unfortunate one but nothing to lose all our heads over. See you later.” He ruffled Reed’s hair. He fixed Shane with a straight face. “Noodle head.”

“Stereotype.” Shane nodded. Julian snorted and walked to the direction of his homeroom. “He’s right though.”

“Is the world ending?”

Shane swooned in every sense of the word. Reed laughed. “I love it when you get sassy. But no. He’s right. It’s probably a one off thing. A freak accident, at least, and a passing serial killer at worst. Both of them are, like, improbable. We shouldn’t make any bigger of a deal out of it than it already is”

“Since you and Julian agree on something, I’ll believe it.” Reed went up to his toes and kissed Shane’s cheek as they held hands.

“Don’t get used to it. Not even if you give me all the kisses.”

“We’ve established this.”

“Hey, Reed!” They turned to see Adam jogging after them with both his hands on his backpack straps. They continued walking when he caught up. “Shane.” They greeted him back. “I’m glad to see you and Julian okay. I know you two went out to watch that band last Friday. That’s when the attack happened. So yeah, I’m happy that you’re safe.”

“Thanks,” Reed replied.

After a couple of steps of awkward that spoke more about Adam’s intentions of talking to them than anything he actually said, he added, “I saw on Julian’s instagram story that he went with that band for a part of the night. That seemed like fun.” Adam was a better liar than him but Reed could still tell.

“Yeah. They weren’t all that great to me or to Julian, in the end,” Reed tried not to sound too bitter.

“You say that, but I followed them all on social media and they look like they’re blowing up. Their most recent YouTube lyric video got almost a million views as of today,” Adam said. “Their songs are nice. But if you say that they’re didn’t treat Julian—or you and him, the two of you, both. If they didn’t treat you two well, then I won’t support them.” There was another bout of awkward walking before Adam turned to his homeroom.

“If he wasn’t so painfully in love with Julian, I’d be jealous,” Shane said. “He’s just talking to you to get to Julian. You know that, right?”

“Give him a break. You were talking to Julian to get to me.”

Shane blushed. “That was different. I was getting to know him too. I made an effort to like him. He’s just asking you about him.”

Reed waved him off. “Let the boy have a crush. It’s totally harmless.”

* * *

 

After the initial shock of a teenager’s death, most of the world had moved on. Reed found it easy since it wasn’t someone from his school or neighborhood. There was still a sense of tragedy to it, as expected with any violent passing of someone he vaguely remembered, but they coped. Mom had eased up on letting him out again when the news broke into her bubble. People were showing up in the park again. Dwight’s memorial joined the colors of fall with flowers that withstood the chill. It was a beautiful site now. He’d see Dwight’s family and friends come by it during the weekends. Reed teared up when he saw a younger boy sitting by his crying mother and trying not to cry himself. He’d gone home and decided to give his loved ones more hugs.

“Morning!” Reed opened his arms to Julian. It took some getting used to at first but he found hugs first thing invigorating.

Julian sighed and returned the hug with a halfhearted pat on Reed’s back. “No offense but I’m not in the sunshine, rainbows, remind your friends you love them everyday or you’ll die with them not knowing mood today. Sorry, or whatever.” Julian slammed his locker. He looked worse for wear this morning. Reed started noticing at the beginning of the week but they were such little things. A breakout or two. Some darkness under his eyes. The low set of his shoulders. His drab outfits. Today he was wearing sweats with the school’s logo and name printed on them. His hair wasn’t styled. His lips were chapped and pale. It was all those little things at once.

“Are you sick? Do you want me to bring you to Sylvia?”

“The fact that you’re on a first name basis with the school nurse is cute and depressing,” Julian commented. He walked, Reed followed. “We ran out of coffee. Mom was supposed to buy some yesterday but she thought I was going to buy them so we’re both in a bad mood.” He pinched the bridge of his nose. “I feel so ordinary. Like any other guy sitting in the back of the class,” he pouted.

“You don’t look so bad, all things considered,” Reed said. Julian never looked bad unless it was purposeful and for some play. He still had his perfect bone structure. His pout could be seen in magazines. The sleepless look even worked on him, like one of those hot rock band guys or villains in superhero movies that everyone liked, even if they planned on enslaving the universe. It just wasn’t Julian’s typical look.

“I feel so much better now,” Julian muttered.

Reed hung his head. “Sorry.” Julian gave him a tired shrug.

“Do you want to go to Starbucks this lunch? We can Uber,” Reed suggested.

Julian sneered but it didn’t reach the right temperature for maximum impact. “I almost drowned myself in the shower today and I cried when I squeezed toothpaste on my brush with the cap of the brush still on. I’m not exactly in the right state to be out in public right now. The lesser beautiful people in the school are starting to see weakness. I can’t have anyone else see me.”

“Okay…”

“Hello Reed.” Adam started walking with them as they turned the hallway. Reed’s eyes widened. He shook his head to warn Adam but his attention was already elsewhere. “Jules,” he coughed when Julian narrowed his eyes, “Julian. Hey. How are you doing?”

“Super duper.” Julian’s face brightened as he said it but then dropped the facade. “Did you want to borrow my physics homework again or are you going to try and smell me again like you did last Wednesday?” Reed was about to chide Julian for being short but he turned to Adam with incredulity.

Adam fixed his gaze to the end of the hall. “I didn’t know you noticed,” he muttered. He was about to go the other direction but Julian told him to stop. He did without hesitation.

“If you’re going to ask me out, ask. We’re not doe-eyed freshmen who just discovered what porn is. Out with it.” Reed bit his lips. In the state he was in, Julian was going to rip Adam to shreds. Even if he was a creeper, he didn’t hurt anyone with the yearning looks he held too long and the pictures he took when he thought no one was looking. Smelling Julian was a step too far, but still. Reed was steeling himself and so was Adam.

He stood up straighter and squared his shoulders. Julian remained unimpressed. He drew in a deep breath. “There’s this live show going down in the theater by the Keswick. It’s this podcast thing. You don’t have to listen to the podcast to get it. The show’s standalone. The actors are great. So is the story. What do you say? This weekend?”

“Heard it’s sold out,” Julian countered.

“Yeah but my friend gave me their seats since their uncle died and they have to go to do this will and testament thing.” Adam’s knuckles turned white around his straps.

Julian stared at him and prolonged the silence. Adam turned redder. “...You have friends?”

“Julian,” Reed said through his teeth.

Adam tried not to crack in front of him. “Forget it.” He walked around them.

“You didn’t have to be rude,” Reed said. “He has friends. I’m his friend.”

“Only because I’m your best friend. He thinks that by befriending you he’ll be my friend and then we’ll fall in love and ride out into the sunset as some indie song plays. Like that dumb one the radios been cranking out from The Next Exit.” He said the band’s name with his tongue in between the syllables.

“Still, that was totally unnecessary and you know it,” Reed persisted.

Julian groaned. “Fine. I’ll give him a chance.” He turned around. “Hey, Adam.” Adam turned. “I’ll go with you to that podcast thingy if you stop trying to smell me.”

Adam grinned like Reed didn’t see his heart get crushed ten seconds ago. “You got it!”

“I’d exchange numbers with you but I have a feeling you already have it.” Adam opened his mouth to defend himself. “I’m over it. Just don’t be weird from here on out.”

“You won’t regret this!” Adam skipped off to his class with his head held high.

Julian gave Reed a bored look. “Happy?”

“Try to have coffee when you’re with him, please.”

“Trust me. If I don’t get coffee soon, I’ll burn my house down.”

* * *

 

Reed was supposed to be doing homework instead he was lying on top of it with Shane’s tongue tangled with his. The paper crinkled under their weight. Pens started rolling and clattering to the floor. He was the one who made Shane promise to hold off until it was all done. Reed did his homework on his bed. Shane did his homework on the floor. This system worked for them in the whole duration of their relationship. For some reason, the amorous feeling came over him in the middle of his calculus worksheet. He was twirling a pen in Shane’s hair one moment and he was sliding his hands up Shane’s shirt the next. Reed didn’t mind losing time to making out. They weren’t in a rush. They had the whole weekend to cram the homework in. Once this was burnt out of their system, they were going to be productive. He was just delaying the inevitable.

“I love just kissing you,” Shane murmured a centimeter over his lips. Reed could taste the ramen he ate before coming over.

“Me too…” Then Shane ground their hips together, yanking out a moan that Reed was trying to hold back so he wouldn’t seem desperate.

“But I also love that.” Shane nibbled on his top lip and kissed it. “We’re doing it slow tonight, huh?”

“Please,” Reed exhaled.

“As you wish.” With that, Shane returned his lips to Reed’s in a languid and almost longing kiss. He pushed the rest of the homework off the bed.

They divested their clothes in intervals. Reed was getting warmer and warmer as they turtled their way through foreplay. There was a time for hungry kisses and eager nudity. There was also a time to make every motion count. They ground on each other as Shane pressed kisses down Reed’s neck. Reed revelled at how the muscles on Shane’s back coiled as he lifted his shirt over his head. He pressed kisses down Shane’s chest, catching each nipple with his mouth and twirling his tongue around them in gentle motions while his hands played with his belt. When he was back on Shane’s lap, Shane slid his hands down his pants, cupping his ass without any problems. Their tongues danced around one another as Reed fingers threaded through Shane’s hair.

Shane stripped for him. He played the perfect song, like he was waiting for it to happen. Reed laughed then palmed himself through his shorts as Shane rolled his body to the bass. With his other hand, he reached for Shane’s abs and Shane let him go for it.

“Where’s my dollar?” Shane asked when Reed’s fingers tugged at the elastic.

“You’ll get it when you deserve it.”

Shane hissed. “Hot. Say something like that again.”

Reed paused. “Literally everything is silly and I don’t want to break the mood.”

“Fair enough.” They went back to kiss.

When their underwear was finally off, Shane guided his lips down the planes of Reed’s body, leaving a hot trail of molten lust underneath his skin. His breath tickled Reed’s ready cock but his eyes relayed other plans. He pushed apart Reed’s thighs, leaving a kiss, a suck, and a bite every so often on each side. Shane buried his face into Reed’s ass and closed his mouth around Reed’s entrance. Reed grabbed the top of Shane’s head. He moaned again, this time without trying to stop himself. He felt his tongue lap against him, sending a great jolt sprinting up and down his sternum. Good thing his mom wasn’t home yet.

“That’s it...That’s a good boy,” Reed gasped. Shane smiled between the cheeks before sucking on him. “Yes, oh Shane. That’s it. You make me feel so good…”

The phone rang. Reed fumbled for it and hit the back of his hand on the corner of the bedside drawer. He shook out the pain after getting the phone. He didn’t stop the call. “Ignore it,” Shane begged against his hip.

“I can’t. It’s probably Mom.” He looked at the screen and saw a different name. “It’s Julian.”

“Ignore it,” he repeated.

“You know he won’t stop until he gets an answer. The last time I ignored his calls, he thought I’d suffocated myself with my new neck pillow and called the police.” Reed tapped on the answer icon. “Hey. How’s the date?”

“It would’ve been great if Adam showed up.” Julian huffed. “Can you believe he stood me up? I don’t even like him that much. He’s not allowed to ditch me or reject me. I’m the one who’s supposed to be in control here.”

Reed found that dubious. Adam would’ve arrived ten minutes early and brought a bouquet or something as extravagant. “Are you sure you’re at the right place?”

“Yeah. There’s only one theater where that dumb podcast is performing here in our area. I’m not an idiot and I’m not that mean. I go on my dates as promised. Do you know how embarrassing it is for me to be blown off in the bad way? I felt like such a loser waiting for him out here. That’s exacerbated by the fact that I’m already surrounded by losers who like this podcast. To them, I’m the loser. This is just the worst. I’m going to murder Adam,” Julian whined.

“Have you tried calling him?”

“Uh, yeah. A million times. He’s not answering,” Julian grumbled. “Anyway, I’m over it. He’s not important. There are plenty more where he came from. Can I come over? I wanna wallow about it for a bit.”

“Um…” Reed lifted his head to see Shane waiting for him to end the call on his stomach. “Maybe later?”

“God, are you and Curly Fries having sex right now?” Julian groaned. “Fine, I’ll go to a Wallmart and get myself ice cream. Just know I’m going to full on complain about Adam tomorrow.”

Reed blew a long sigh. “Thank you.”

“Yeah, yeah.” The call ended.

“What was that all about?” Shane grumbled.

“Adam didn’t show up for their date,” Reed answered.

His brows knitted together. “What? Adam would rather die than pass this up or piss Julian off.”

“I know...Do you think something happened to him?”

“Maybe. I heard he stayed up all night setting up a post-date date for him and Julian. He had all these sketches littering his desk yesterday. It was quite elaborate. He probably just overslept. He’s going to freak if that’s the case.”

Reed couldn’t shake away this niggling doubt in the back of his head. Something wasn’t right but Shane had the most logical answer. He’d done an all-nighter on a sculpture once and woke up the next afternoon with a heavy head. He wouldn’t put it past Adam to go overboard. Reed was going to have to save his ass again.

“Is the mood gone?” Shane pouted.

Reed shook his head. “We can still find it.” Shane smirked and picked up where he left off.


	4. Giving Him What He Wants

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adam always said he'd kill to date Julian.

When Julian Larson texted him that he had a better, more intimate idea for a date that Saturday morning, Adam dropped everything—the balloons, the Christmas lights, the bouquet of lollipops, the playlist, the tickets—and indulged. 

_ There’s this spot by the lake you can watch the sunset from. Do you mind if we do that instead? I’ll bring the lamp and blanket. I’ll teach you how to skip rocks, _ The text said.  _ An hour earlier? That cool? _

Adam had the biggest crush on Julian since they moved here when he was thirteen. Julian never noticed him. That worked in his favor when his crush didn’t waver and he began to want to learn more about Julian. He never thought he’d have a chance in the world until Julian came out as bisexual last year. Since then, he’d been more empowered to pursue him, though still intimidated by his confidence and popularity and beauty. He had the kind of face that didn’t belong to towns like Adam’s but on billboards and glossy pages. He began building a portfolio in his diary of what Julian liked and disliked for this particular day. He hoped it would happen. He didn’t expect that it would happen so easily. 

He was at the trail Julian described in a tiny culdesac ten minutes before seven. He adjusted the ribbon around his small bouquet of forget-me-nots twice. He checked his watch and then the time on his phone to make sure it was the correct date and the correct hour and the correct minute. He double checked the picnic basket he packed. It wasn’t perfect but he already had most of Julian’s favorite snacks for the dinner he planned right after the show. He wasn’t prepared for Julian’s spontaneity but whatever Julian wanted, Adam wasn’t going to say no to it. 

Julian arrived on the dot. Even though he wasn’t looking a hundred percent, he looked like anyone on their best day. When he smiled, Adam could swear cupid swooped in to add another arrow into his bleeding chest. 

“You made it,” Julian said. He touched Adam’s forearm and kissed his cheek. Adam could just die happy right now. 

“Of course I did,” Adam replied. 

“I kinda feel bad. You don’t have any friends waiting for you at that podcast thing, do you?” Julian’s face softened with concern had Adam’s heart swell with adoration. 

“Like I said, the friend who gave me the tickets had to go out of town. I’m not disappointing anyone by not showing up.” Except himself for not going to this event that he’d saved up for months. But it would be all worth it once he could show Julian that they were meant to be together. 

“Good because,” he leaned closer. Waves of heat crashed into his shoulder when Julian whispered, “I don’t think we’ll need to look for a place to warm up when the sun sets.” The edges of his vision darkened. All the blood in his head rushed south to chance the heat. When Julian eased out of his personal space, he followed, eager to have him in that space again. 

Julian led them to a small clearing that ended in a ledge. It was a three-foot drop to the shimmering lake. Adam set up the picnic there. Julian turned on the lamp and propped the bouquet against a tree trunk. The sun was at the perfect angle and with the trees changing their colors, the whole world had turned gold around them. They sat. 

“This is better than the play,” Adam said. 

“Tell me about that podcast.” Julian started rummaging through the picnic basket. “Wow, all of my favorite food...what a surprise…” 

Adam flew into an explanation to brush away the creepiness that grew from his innocent gesture. Julian seemed interested which he took as a great sign of all the good that was to come. Better, when he managed to crack Julian up with a pun. Adam couldn’t take his eyes off of Julian and Julian couldn’t either. Julian started playing with his hands when he asked about his plans after high school. Adam knew Julian had ambitions but it was nice to hear it direct from the source instead of hearing it in jealous tones from jilted wannabe-actors at school. Many of what Julian talked about were things Adam already knew. Then he started talking about his childhood with Reed, after they talked about movies they liked when they were kids. (Adam tried to match genres instead of titles. He didn’t want to lay it on too thick now that he was treading in the treacherous waters of a first date.) 

Reed was supposed to be a means to an end. He was a nice enough person but he was more interested in Julian for obvious reasons. He hadn’t realized how close they actually were until Julian talked about the time he learned first aid for the sake of Reed. He never knew how protective Julian was. He endeavored to actually care about Reed the next time they saw each other. 

Adam was talking about how he grew up pretty alone. He was homeschooled for most of his single digits. He trailed off when Julian’s playful fingers brought his hand to his lips. He blinked several times in a row to make sure this wasn’t a hallucination. Julian maintained his gaze while he mouthed at Adam’s fingers. His thoughts crashed and exploded, leaving nothing but a wasteland of the sensations coming from Julian’s beguiling lips. 

“Do you want to kiss me?” Julian asked. He laced their hands together and Adam nodded. He closed the distance between them. There was a first gentle peck. Then a longer pull in between Julian’s teeth. Adam lost himself when his tongue met the other’s tongue. All his dreams were coming true with the taste of Julian. 

Julian laid him down. His thighs slid over his bulging groin with enough pressure to make him bite down on a groan. Julian pulled off his sweater to reveal a toned muscles Adam had wished to see up close. He didn’t think it would go this fast but he wasn’t going to question a good thing. He reached up to Julian’s waist and sighed at the warmth under his palm. Julian showed a pleased smile and led the hands to go over the tight expanse of jeans. 

“Wow.” It felt better than Adam had imagined. 

“Are you ready to get the ride of your life?” Julian rolled his hips over Adam’s. Adam nodded. He didn’t trust his mouth to say the right words. 

* * *

 

No one swam in the lake any time other than summer except for rowdy teenagers dared by their friends. Even in the spring, the water wasn’t too hospitable to those who couldn’t handle the cold. Julian drew a long breath when he rose out of the water, fresh and clean after his meal. The cold no longer bothered him. His body heat was higher these days. 

The haze that dulled all his senses left him with every exhale. His face no longer weighed him down. His joints stopped creaking. He was a new man. It only took an unexceptional fucking and the screams of the innocent. He should’ve listened to his instincts the first time around. 

Julian glanced at the ledge he’d jumped off with Adam. He wondered what he was going to say. He wondered how he was going to get back up there without having to walk around and have everyone witness him. With his ass, he’d be the most obvious suspect, even if the body was lying at the bottom of the lake, rocks in the space where his insides were meant to reside. Remembering Adam’s desire coursing through him and eating it all up afterwards made Julian’s pelvic region quivered. He was starting to get kind of hard. Adam tasted better with desire coursing through him. His body was more pliant after an orgasm. Though he was less attractive than Dwight, he was more satisfying to consume. 

He reached for a protruding rock. In theory, he could climb this. He was stronger now. 

Without meaning to, he launched himself into the air and hovered. The water evaporated off his body. He watched the steam rise from his arms. He shrugged and rose to the ledge. The grass tickled his toes when he landed. Everything was sharper and more defined around him. His body felt brand new. 

The picnic of all the food he couldn’t eat was still there. Their clothes laid in piles. Julian rummaged for Adam’s phone first. It bent in half under his hands like it was made of clay. He threw it into the lake. Then he found his phone and his alibi. 

Predictably, Reed answered in six rings. “Hey. How’s the date?” 

He still hadn’t figured out if he should tell Reed or not. Though he wasn’t squeamish, he was skittish. It didn’t feel right, keeping this huge thing from Reed. This was a lot like coming out again. Now, it mattered more. He would work his way toward it. Until then, “It would’ve been great if Adam showed up.” Julian huffed. 


	5. Late Night Cravings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nothing bad happens to Reed.

Reed noticed on Monday that Adam hadn’t come groveling to Julian for missing their date. He and Shane figured that he was too embarrassed to show his face at school. Shane joked that he was likely trying to transfer schools. He did check his phone from time to time just in case Adam would want to have his help in getting Julian to his good graces, even though Julian had moved on to talking to this cheerleader from a rival school he bumped into on Sunday. Julian wasn’t a fan of wallowing in rejection for too long. 

The news of Adam’s disappearance dropped Tuesday morning. It was announced at homeroom. Reed hurried to text Julian when the police left his class with an ominous and hopeless, “If you have information, please let us know.” 

_ I heard _ , Julian replied.  _ They’re taking me to questioning right now. His parents are here.  _

_ Why are they questioning you? _ Reed asked. 

Julian didn’t answer until the next period rang to life.  _ I was the last person he said he was meeting, apparently. _

That sent a gnawing unease into Reed’s stomach. Julian would never. Adam was creepy but not to the point that Julian would’ve killed him. It was a logical first step to locating him, at the same time, it was illogical to think that a high school senior would be behind the disappearance of a classmate. Anyone with a brain would take one look at Julian’s dating/hook-up history and come to the conclusion that Julian wasn’t a danger to those he agreed to date or have sex with. And as far as he knew, Julian didn’t care enough about Adam to even want to do anything with him, let alone kill him or whatever it was that happened. 

Reed brought that self-reassurance with him when he was called as well. He sat down, chin tucked to his chest and fingers knotted together. They went through the necessary pleasantries. He answered in yes or no. As far as he knew, he was telling the truth, even though he was sweating like he was lying through his teeth the whole time. They asked where he was on Saturday and he answered. They asked if Adam was acquainted with anyone suspicious and Reed couldn’t give a definitive answer. Neither of them spoke much outside of school. They asked where Julian was and he told them.

“So no one was with Julian at the time Adam was last scene.” 

“No. I guess you can ask the theater people who went to the show.” It was ridiculous how Julian was being made a suspect here. He tried to understand that these people were turning over every stone they could get their hands on. And yet, he walked out a bit miffed that they’d even consider it. 

Reed passed by Adam’s parents, who were fraying at the edges. They glanced at him but they looked more tired than accusatory. It was like they knew they wouldn’t be able to find any leads here. Adam hadn’t made any waves at school. Even Reed forgot he moved here when they were thirteen. He kept to himself. He had not many friends. He made no enemies. No one even bullied him too much except for that one time Derek Seigerson caught him doodling about Julian in class and told the whole world. But if anyone was going to get murdered, it was Derek, and Adam would be the one with the murder weapon. None of that happened. Adam had lived a pretty uneventful life at their school. 

Which was why, by the end of the day, the atmosphere in school hadn’t shifted by much. 

“You okay?” Shane asked while they were walking home. “You took that door to the face pretty hard when we were walking out of the photography club meeting. Are you sure you don’t want to get checked.” 

Reed shook his head. “Adam’s gone missing and everything is fine. Does no one care?” 

“Well…” Reed turned to him with disbelief. “It’s not that no one cares. Adam wasn’t...you know. No one knew him. For all we know he just ran away because he blew of Julian big time and he doesn’t want anyone to see his face ever again.” 

“Wouldn’t he have at least left a note for his parents if that’s the case? He could’ve talked to me. I could’ve smoothed things out,” Reed said. 

“Hey, it’s not your fault.” Shane tried to take his hand but he jerked it away. 

“It isn’t but I still don’t understand why no one else is bothered by this,” Reed said. “I admit—he wasn’t befriending me for all the right reasons and he was creepy but he was nice enough. He didn’t do anything mean or hurtful. He was a person. A kid with a crush. He’s just missing and no one cares. Not to sound like a conspiracy theorist but what if it’s the same thing that killed Dwight? What if whatever killed Dwight was still here and Adam was the second victim?” 

“Reed,” Shane put his hands on Reed’s shoulders. “You’re thinking about this too hard. These two instances might just be a coincidence.” 

“I know. It just doesn’t feel right.” Reed pressed his forehead into Shane’s chest. “Everyone’s acting like nothing’s gone wrong but one person got murdered and another went missing. Something’s wrong and I can’t be the only person who sees it.”

“Everyone’s probably dealing with it in their own way. The Clavells have already kicked up a fuss. No one else knows what to do,” Shane says. “It’s not like we can go out there and find him, or catch this person, or whatever it is. And it’s not like he had many close friends. We can’t expect everyone to mourn or freak out over a virtual stranger. That would be fake.” 

Reed sighed. “You’re right.” He put his arms around Shane’s waist. His head didn’t feel like it was all the way screwed onto his neck. Embarrassment seeped into his pulse. “I’m overreacting, aren’t I?” 

“You’re reacting, I wouldn’t say it’s more than normal.” Shane kissed the top of Reed’s head. “It’s sweet that you’re so concerned. I’m sure Adam will appreciate it when they find him.” 

“If they find him,” Reed mumbled. 

“Don’t lose hope until they find a body.” Shane hugged him tight. 

His words were flimsy but Reed was holding onto them as two weeks rolled by and they couldn’t find a body. All they had to go on was Adam’s car driven to the edge of town. nothing more. Reed’s hope kept him awake longer, waiting for a twitch of anything from Adam. He watched with disappointment and some jealousy as the student body moved forward with their lives while he couldn’t shake the disquiet that followed him since Adam was reported missing. His disappearance didn’t sit with him. It paced and circled him the same way his gut told him that whatever took Adam was still out there. Though Adam’s death was a certainty in his chest, he couldn’t find any evidence to support it. He couldn’t go up to the Clavells or the police about it either. They’d look at him like he was some sort of crazy, awful person. He filled his head with hope. 

“You’re so tense.” Julian’s fingers slid over his bare shoulders. Reed shivered before Julian pressed down with his thumbs. Reed rolled his neck as heat trickled down his skin. “What’s up? Trouble in curly paradise? Shall I murder him for you?” 

Reed chuckled. “No. Everything’s fine with Shane.” 

“You’ll let me know if you tire of him, right? I wanna practice hiding bodies.” Julian cackled. 

“Is that evil wizard costume getting to your head?” Reed smiled up at him. 

“You know I love to get into character,” he replied as he kneaded the some of the tension out of him. “Are you still hung up about Adam?” 

“A little,” Reed started, “Kinda. I’m more worried about tonight. Halloween on a weekend. Everyone drunk or worse…” Julian seemed to massage the truth out of him. “There’s someone out there,” he said in a voice made brittle with fear. “Or something. I don’t know. It sounds crazy but I feel like it’s out there, waiting for this kind of night.” 

Reed expected Julian to dispel his anxieties and scrum away those thoughts much like Shane had been doing. He expected Julian to poke at the holes he knew were there. He steeled himself. Instead, Julian rubbed his shoulders. HIs arms slid around Reed’s shoulders until they were around him. Julian was warm. Reed’s teeth caught his lip when Julian’s breath caressed the side of his neck. 

“I won’t ever let anything happen to you, you know that, right?” They shared a gaze through the mirror. 

“Yes,” he said with certainty in his chest.

Julian smiled. “Then there’s nothing to worry about. I’ll watch out for you.” He kissed Reed’s shoulder and his stomach revolved around his diaphragm. He blushed. Julian moved away like nothing happened. “I’ll watch out for you, and your mangy mutt too.” He picked up a broom, waving it around. Reed grinned and finished his costume. 

Shane arrived not soon afterwards, extending cloaked arm from under the white sheet of his ghost costume. Reed took it, careful not to rub the bodypaint that made him look like a puppet. Julian clicked his tongue. 

“Your boyfriend toils over his sewing machine, risking sewing himself into the clothes, and you show up like this,” he says. “You can do better.” Reed punched his shoulder. 

“Opposites attract,” Shane argued. “And might I remind you that you asked said boyfriend to make your costume, risking him further.” 

“I supervised the whole time.” Julian brushed past him. “Car’s down the road, let’s go. We don’t have time for you two to admire each other under the pale moonlight.” 

Shane leaned towards Reed as they followed. “I didn’t think he’d play designated driver. It’s senior year. He’s supposed to want to get super trashed.” 

“Well, either you drive or I drive,” Reed said. 

Shane pouted. “What’s that supposed to mean?” 

“You’re not exactly one to decline alcohol and I’m not exactly one to have any perception of space,” Reed replied. 

“Also you’re a shitty driver,” Julian called. Reed giggled and squeezed Shane’s arm. 

“Then why do I have my driver’s license?!” Shane retorted. 

“Because got down on your knees and sucked the tester’s daddy dick,” Julian said. Shane covered Reed’s ears. “Oh please, like you two don’t—”

“Don’t let the neighbors know, I’m begging,” Reed interrupted. 

Reed’s worries found at place at the back and bottom of his mind while Shane and Julian bickered all the way to the car and halfway through the drive. Julian usually shut Shane down by the fifth minute. He kept it going. Julian shot a wink at Reed when he led Shane into a tirade about how it wasn’t his fault he was about to sneeze when they took his license photo. This put him more at ease, knowing Julian was so in control. 

They arrived at the Hughes’ house right went the party had reached its loudest. The old mansion stood atop a small hill, giving it that sinister vibe perfect for the season. And it was perfect to avoid noise complaints. Wes, and his sisters before him, had always thrown the best parties. Their parents had let them as long as nothing valuable broke. People have been thrown out for less than a scuffed floorboard. 

Everyone was in the backyard, which surprisingly wasn’t a cemetary. There, they could spill their drinks. They walked through the halls of mingling teenagers who had most of their wits with them. Reed allowed himself one drink, so did Julian. Shane was led away into a dance drinking contest. He stripped his ghost to reveal a black jumpsuit with a skeleton printed on it, took a kiss from Reed for good luck, and skipped off. 

Reed sipped the sweet drink he learned the hard way not to trust. He bobbed his head to the music. Julian scanned the thin crowd. “So many choices,” he said. “The curse of bisexuality.”

“What about Logan? You two have been flirting around each other for years now,” Reed replied. Logan Wright was across the hall, talking and laughing with Derek Seigerson and his on-off-girlfriend Casey. 

Julian licked his lips. “Perhaps. No doubt I could untangle the Tipton boy from him for the night. Kinda want to save him for graduation though.”

“Why prolong his suffering?” Reed chuckled. 

“He got a little possessive that time we had a party when I won student body president.” Reed saw Julian wink and raise his cup. His eyes darted to Logan, who’d bobbed his eyebrows and started to walk over. “Haven’t decided if I find it hot or annoying yet.” Julian led them both away with a swish to his hips. 

“Fair enough,” Reed said. “What about—”

“Spencer? And do Merril Portman dirty? For shame, Van Kamp.” Reed opened his mouth. “Not Sydney either. Not yet. I have to work myself up to that kinda woman.” 

“Do I just have bad taste?”

Julian snorted. “I wish Shane were here to hear that.”

“You don’t have proof.”

“That never stopped me.”

Reed nodded to another person. “What about Katherine?” She was standing the end of the table, going full swan lake and talking to her friend, Nadia, who came as the black swan. They notice Julian passing by and they both say hello. Julian flashed his grin. Reed saw Katherine nudge Nadia, who nudged her back. 

“I love the costumes ladies. Very appropriate,” Julian said. They responded in kind. Julian boasted for Reed, who blushed more than the alcohol was making him. “Have you tried special concoction Wes has made for this one? It’s a killer,” he brought the cup to his lips then passed it to Katherine. “I love you two in the last production. I’m surprised the costume department let you have the costumes.”

“I paid for it by busting my ass at that McDonald’s, I’d be pissed if they didn’t,” Katherine replied. Reed took this as his queue to let Julian have his fun. He excused himself under the guise of checking on Shane. He bumped into a cheerleader whose skirt and shirt were shorter and tighter than any cheerleader he’d seen. 

“Watch it,” she growled. Reed stumbled backward into a table. Before a vase could fall over, thereby killing the whole night for everyone, Julian swooped in with that grin still in place. 

“Hi there, sorry about him. Can’t take his alcohol. I’m Julian.” 

As usual, the girl was bewitched. She held out her hand, he kissed it. “Tabitha.” Reed made a shuffling exit. He spent the rest of the night by Shane’s side, cheering him on and making sure his sheet didn’t get too dirty. Julian flashed in and out of his vision and his personal space. He checked in by himself but from afar, he was never alone. Sometimes he’d have his hand on Katherine’s waist, or drink to give Nadia, or an arm on top of Tabitha’s shoulders. Never with two at the same time. When the night progressed, he saw him around Katherine more.They seemed to be all smiles and no drinks to blur their way. Reed was optimistic about the outcome. 

Julian always left before the party could get to that depressing trinkle to the end. He found Reed on a loveseat wish Shane coiled around him. Beside him was Nadia, who trailed after him and Katherine, hand in hand. Nadia didn’t look too pleased but she was wobbling into Katherine every other second Julian was helping pry Shane off of him. Reed wasn’t prepared for any sort of fight or argument. 

Katherine took the front seat while Shane flattened Reed against the door. Nadia took the seat beside them with a huff. 

“Where do you want to take your drunk puppy?” Julian asked as they pulled away. 

“Mom’ll murder me,” Shane slurred. “Hey! That is an alliteration.”

“Congrats, you passed sixth grade English,” Julian said. Shane laughed and told Julian he loved him. 

“Home, please,” Reed said. 

“Home we go.” 

* * *

 

Hilde was conked out again so they didn’t mind being a little noisy. She wasn’t Shane’s biggest fan but, as promised, he was able to win her over as the year progressed. Having him at breakfast wouldn’t be the greatest sin Reed was going to commit. Julian had since driven away from the house and to wherever Katherine lived. Throughout the drive, they discussed music they loved to dance to, the intricacies of which were lost to Reed, who knew two dance moves that caused the most minimal amount of damage to himself, to others, and the world around him. He could see how bright Julian’s grin had been when they said their goodnights. It could be something. 

Reed left Shane on his bed. He went to the bathroom to clean off anything he drew on himself. His clothes were folded on a chair, best to save it for a school production maybe. As he was checking himself in the mirror to see if he missed anything, Shane leaned on the doorframe. 

“You’re so pretty,” he said. 

“And you’re so drunk,” Reed replied. Shane came over and put his arms around Reed’s bare waist. Shane pressed himself on Reed and wiggled. He sighed. “You’re drunk. It’s not consent if you’re drunk.”

“With you, I always consent,” Shane muttered along his shoulder. Reed fought back a sound of pleasure. 

“Except when you’re not. C’mon. Let’s get you a bed.” Reed held Shane’s arms and tried pulling him off. Shane whined. 

“But I want you. So much.” He stumbled into the darkened room, lit only by the open bathroom door. “Please, baby.” His hands found their way under the elastic of Reed’s underwear. His mouth was on Reed’s jaw, echoing his plea for a few more times. Reed held Shane’s wrists. He stopped. 

“Shane.” 

“...Sorry.” Shane pulled away and hiccuped. He fell into Reed’s bed and he raised his arms. “Cuddles only, I promise.” 

Reed shook his head with a smile. He climbed into bed with Shane, pecking his lips once before moving around the pillows and the blanket for them. Shane began taking off his skeleton jumpsuit and letting it fall wherever. Reed went to his closet and pulled out a shirt for himself, followed by one of Shane’s that he left a few days ago. Usually he’d put on pajama bottoms too but he decided not to. 

When Shane nuzzled into his neck, Reed became too aware of Shane’s breath on his chest and his warmth curled around him. He held it in for a moment, reminding himself that Shane was drunk. He wasn’t going to take advantage of his boyfriend. That was messed up on levels that Reed couldn’t reach without falling to his death. Turning towards Shane would make it worse, turning away from Shane would make it way worse. The only way of remedying this was to sleep on opposite ends of his bed. 

Shane got comfortable, squeezing Reed against him. A dopey smile was blooming on his face, he touched Reed’s face. “Can I at least kiss my beautiful and adorable boyfriend under the romance of his moonlight?” 

Reed gulped instead of laughed, like he would with Shane’s cheesy lines. Shane noticed. His hand was low on Reed’s hip, right on the hem of his shirt. He smirked. Reed licked his lips. “One kiss,” he said. Shane nodded. Their lips met. Reed didn’t expect the rush of memories to steam up his brain. His body lit up at each point that Shane touched and where his fingers trailed. There was a spark that threatened to ignite him when Shane ground into his thigh. His throat suddenly grew thirsty for Shane’s body. He moaned louder than expected when Shane’s tongue first made contact with his. He rolled on top of Shane, straddling his waist. He felt Shane smile against his lips. He jerked himself away. 

“Are you sure?” He exhaled. 

“The surest I’ll ever—” Reed’s lips was on him again. Shane’s desire seemed to compound his. He was more awake than he’d expected to be at the hour this was happening. He chalked it up to them not having had sex since Adam went missing and Reed got too preoccupied with his feelings. He supposed he’d missed having Shane’s hands and lips and tongue on him. He revelled in the sensations that sprinted up and down his body. He should withhold sex more often. He didn’t think he’d ever feel more amazing. 

He was also hungry for some reason. There was a new box of Lucky Charms downstairs...and some leftover steak. He’d have to satiate one craving before the next.


	6. That Other Kind of Late Night Craving

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tabitha gets a ride home.

Tabitha should’ve totally brought a coat like her sister said but there was no way she was going to give her the satisfaction of being right.

She stumbled on home after delivering the last of her girl-friends to her house. By all accounts, she was the least drunk she could’ve been after the Halloween party, and after Julian running off with that skinny ballerina from his school. She looked down at her cleavage, wondering what went wrong, then brushed it off. She wasn’t going to aggravate over Julian Larson. That was for lesser beings. She was better than that.

It was a good neighborhood but she clutched her pepper spray in one hand and her studded clutch on the other. For the first time in a couple of years, she was wearing running shoes in Halloween. She could make a run for it after hitting any assailants while screaming bloody murder. As she planned all the worst-case scenarios, sobering up in the process, a car beeped at her. She kept walking with her head down. She could tear through the backyards if she had to. Then she heard a voice:

“Tabitha, hey.” She allowed herself to turn. Julian Larson stood framed by his car’s lights and stayed where he was. “Do you want a ride? You shouldn’t be walking home alone like this. No funny business, I swear.”

“I’m good,” she called. “I’m sure Katherine wouldn’t appreciate you following up on a reject.”

“Katherine just wanted to go home and sleep so we’re not doing anything. I’m just driving by. She’s down a couple blocks that way and saw you walking. I figured I’d do the good thing.” He put his hands into his pockets and shrugged, looking like one of those punk rock hotties her sister listens to. “For the record, you’re not a reject.” Tabitha couldn’t bring herself to truly resent Julian. He was too pretty and he seemed too sincere. He was still a safe distance. He didn’t insist on anything. “But if you can handle yourself and don’t want to get a ride from a virtual stranger from a different school, I’m cool with that.” He turned to his car. “Be safe out there. Hope you don’t have to walk long.”

Tabitha so didn’t want to be one of those desperate girls or boys who threw themselves at his feet the second he paid them mind. And yet, “Wait!” She wasn’t being desperate. She wasn’t flinging herself at him. He offered, she accepted. “It’s three blocks down with a few turns. My feet are killing me.”

He grinned. Her body was weak. “Hop in. You can sit in the back, if you prefer.”

“I’ll sit wherever I want to,” Tabitha replied and approached the car. She almost wished she wore heels so he could hear the purpose and the swish in her step. His gaze wandered for a moment then darted back into place. She got in the car. His eyes remained on the road. She noted at the tense set of his jaw. She made sure to stretch a little before putting the seatbelt on.

“Lead the way,” he said.

Tabitha did. It was a little nook where the road tapered to an end and no one bothered to make it a proper path to the forest near her neighborhood. She’d brought many a boy here. She made the decision halfway through the drive to bring Julian to the spot. She caught his furtive gazes. She could taste his wants in the air. She didn’t care if Katherine cared. They weren’t together. It was a Halloween party. They didn’t even hook up. If anything, Tabitha was doing Julian a kindness for letting this happen even though he’d made his choice with Katherine. She figured she could change his mind.

She put her hand on Julian’s thigh. He did the same after some hesitation. He was hot. Not in the sensual way but in a very literal way. Just his hand on her thigh chased away the cold his car’s heater pushed out of her. He was coming in for a kiss. His hand remained where it was while Tabitha’s was rising to his belt. Their noses brushed together. Their heavy breaths mingled down to their chests. Julian’s other hand rested on her hip. His warmth permeated her costume. Sweat started to bead around the small of her back and under the swell of her chest.

“...Are you sure? I can smell how much alcohol you drank,” Julian joked. Their lips were already too close for them to go back. Tabitha was itching to take her underwear off and have him touch her.

“I don’t just bring anyone here,” she replied, sealing any protests behind a heated kiss.

The legends were true. Julian Larson kissed her within an inch of her life.  She’d always been wary of him, since he was rumored to have gotten with more boys than he did with girls. But he was present. He was hard under her touch. He didn’t shy away from her dropped panties and the sensitive area between her legs. Her body was humming with anticipatory pleasure as he kissed and rubbed her. He was eager to go down on her, which most straight guys didn’t even do without immediate reciprocation.

He slid her seat backward and pushed her down into a full recline. They laughed as Julian maneuvered his legs to her side. Tabitha stripped him of his shirt, fingers revelling the tight, warm muscle. He kissed her again, deeper. Their tongues explored each other while their hands explored exposed skin. He caught her gasp when she felt him slide his middle finger into her and rub her clit with his thumb. She was, by no means, fragile, but she appreciated that he wasn’t shoving himself in her right away.

Julian pushed her higher on the seat so he can settle between her legs. She didn’t notice her bra was unclasped until he’d slipped her top off. A pleased giggle popped out in between playful pecks as they undressed. A trail of warm, wet kisses marked her body when Julian began to descend. He took his time with her, kneading her breasts with his hands and mouth, biting and teasing her inner thighs, running his fingers along her entrance. She was squirming under his hot hands and mouth. His breath tickled her, she trembled in response. Not another moment later, his mouth was on her and a current of satisfaction whipped across her body. Then again when he flicked his tongue just as his searing hands fondle her gently. Her lips were parted in a silent scream of ecstasy when Julian pressed his face further into her. Even in an awkward angle—for him, she was reclined in the perfect angle—his performance was eons better than any boy she’d ever bedded.

Tabitha grabbed the back of his head, nails biting into his scalp. She felt his cheeks bunch with a smile before he continued to lap her up, twisting his tongue in the same direction that had her squeaking and squealing and moaning. “Just like that,” she almost begged. Tabitha didn’t beg for much but this was too good not to want more. “Keep doing it just like that.”

He pulled away. She whined. He pressed assuaging kisses on her thighs and rubbed two fingers along her damp center. With his other hand, he rolled and squeezed her chest.  “How about this?” She nodded. “Do you want it?”

“Are you getting off on this?” She narrowed her eyes, pulling his head back by the roots of his hair.

“A little.” He grinned and there was a tingle of yearning in her hips. He pressed a finger into her, lowered his head, and went back to work. Tabitha hung her head over the seat and a long breath pressed against her diaphragm. Julian waggled the finger in her, keeping his strokes steady and in tandem with his tongue. She released a long moan as he hummed around her. At the end of her breath, Julian began moving faster. Her inhales were moans. Her exhales were moans. There was not enough air in them and she was enjoying it more than she expected.

Soon another finger was inside of her. Then another. She’d lost count of the minutes and she was left counting the times she’d said Julian’s name. She wasn’t even sure if it was thirty or forty. Her body was in a perfect coil. A thrumming rapture was reaching its peak right under her skin where his lips, fingers, and hands were. Her teeth dug into her lip as Julian brought her there. He was relentless. She met his determined gaze. Half his face was obscured by her body but he winked like he wasn’t doing so much already. Her fingers trailed over the back of his hand that was on her chest. She pressed her palm on his knuckles and held tight. His fingers wound around hers. She roared with pleasure after one deep thrust.

Julian chuckled against her sensitive, quivering body. He pulled his fingers out and lapped her all up. “You’re so fucking delicious,” he murmured. There it was again. Another burst of bliss ravaging through her body. Julian’s mouth and tongue made waves of it crash over her over and over until her chest was begging for air. She laughed, gasped, and sighed. She didn’t realize an orgasm could be this good until Julian Larson. A pleased smile etched Julian’s face as he crawled to her face. He pressed kisses, open-mouthed and lingering kisses, along her body once more. He took his time between her breasts, going back and forth. He was squeezing every bit of pleasure out of her. She was still trembling when his lips reached her neck.

“Wow,” she exhaled. She put her arms over his shoulders. She’d been so used to guys getting what they want and settling for what she got but this made her rethink all of her life choices. “You’re turn?” It was fair. More than fair.

Julian hummed. He pressed himself against her, bucking into her hips but nothing more. The air around them shimmered with heat. Her skin was still reeling from what he’d done. “Do you want me to do that again?” Before she could be a selfless person for the first time in a long time, he said, “That was fun, wasn’t it? You,” he ran his lips along her neck, “are my new favorite flavor.” He ground into her again and she sighed.

Despite having been awake the whole day, gone to a party, got buzzed, and had maybe the first full-blown orgasm in her life, she wasn’t tired. She felt like she could have Julian do it over and over again until his jaw broke. She caught his lips. As he smiled, she yanked his head back by the hair. “So is that a yes?” He asked.

“It would be a crime against that beautiful mouth of yours if it wasn’t,” she replied.

Julian kissed her and slid back down.

Tabitha realized that breathing was pretty overrated. She might be having a seizure but she was unbothered. It was a good way to go. Julian’s tongue made her sing songs that were outside of her vocal range. Her body was a heaving bundle of fried nerves that kept on wanting more. She didn’t realize she had that much energy until Julian brought it out.

She was a new woman in a new body. She’d never felt this good, except for that one time her team did a perfect toss with her just in time for the basketball team to win the game. They were in a car, in the woods, in a mostly abandoned part of town, but it was a perfect night. After all the heights Julian brought her, she had to at least give him the ride of his life.

Julian followed the map of kisses he left before back to her lips. She adjusted the spread of her legs to accommodate his form. Her hands trailed his taut, sweaty body. She paused, not expecting his jeans to be buttoned and his zipper zipped. The kiss subsided. She was so sure he’d been fully out a short while ago.

In the muted light, she saw him smile. That smile grew wider and wider. The skin along his cheek ripped to show too many rows of teeth that lengthened with the smile. His eyes turned white and sharp. She shook her head but Julian’s face remained as it was. His chuckle rumbled like an approaching thunderstorm. “Do I have something in my teeth?” She screamed. She reached for her clutch, hit him. She shoved and kicked and scrambled for the door.

“Help!” She cried as she scraped her knees and hands trying to get up from the asphalt as fast as she could. “Someone! HELP PL—” She was jerked back with her ponytail. She whirled around for a punch but Julian caught her wrist. It splintered under his grasp. She started to shriek but Julian slammed his fingers to her throat. Pain compounded her despair and shock. She crumpled towards the road. He turned her around, hand over her throbbing throat. A cracked plea escaped her lips. Her feet were off the ground. Julian was walking backwards. Every time she tried to say something, his hand tightened around her throat. She could feel his pounding heart as much as she could feel the devilish heat of his skin.

Then several serrated knives dug into her shoulder and neck. She screamed until Julian shoved his fingers into her mouth, threatening to break her jaw. With one forceful jerk, pain exploded across her face, chest, and spine. It was lightning striking her again and again. Blood spewed from her. Each pulse weakened her. It oozed down her body, sending a morose shiver to her core. She twitched as her mind struggled to remain intact, or even to remain at all. She took a breath and her body spasmed in protest.

Julian hummed. “You’re so fucking delicious.”


	7. An Animal, or Something

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reed has nightmares and Julian is in an awful mood.

Shane groaned in bed when Reed’s phone rang. Reed put down the tray of water, buttered toast, and microwaved pizza rolls down on his desk to answer it. He sat down by Shane, carding his fingers through Shane’s mess of a head. “Morning,” he said. Shane nuzzled into his hand, still groaning. 

“Good morning, my dear,” Julian announced. Reed glanced at the clock—eight-fifty-eight. Even he didn’t trust himself to get through the day without a long nap. He didn’t expect this call. Seeing him go home with Katherine (and Nadia, Reed wouldn’t put it past Julian), he thought he wouldn’t be hearing Julian’s voice until at least after the sun had set. “I’m feeling luscious today!”

Reed chuckled. “Good for you.”

“Wanna go out? Grab brunch? I’ll even let you bring Shamderson with one complaint,” he said. 

Reed turned and saw the look of regret Shane was failing to rub off his eyes. He nodded to the food. Shane wrapped his arms around Reed’s waist and whined. “Maybe not today. I’m still tired from the night before.” 

“You and Shamderson had crazy drunk sex, didn’t you?” 

Reed sucked in his lips and let the blush burn his face. Their night went on for longer than both Reed and Shane expected.  “And you didn’t with Katherine?” 

Julian laughed. “Oh Reedy. Don’t answer the question with a question, you know that. If I must kiss and tell,” with his dramatic voice, Reed could imagine Julian lounging on his bed like he was in a photoshoot, “no, Katherine and I didn’t do anything. Neither did Nadia and I. I brought Katherine home. We kissed for an actual second, then I left. She texted me this morning. She’ll be at brunch if you two can get off of one another for a minute.” 

“Shut up,” Reed said. His hand ran through Shane’s curls as he buried his face into Reed’s thigh. “So you and Katherine, huh?”

“Probably,” Julian sang. “Are you joining us at brunch to find out with me?” 

He turned to Shane again. “What time?” 

“Like ten? Ten thirty?” 

“One sec.” 

“I’ll be waiting.” 

Reed placed the phone on his chest and ruffled Shane’s hair. “Hey, wanna go out to brunch with Julian and Katherine in, like, an hour?” 

Shane moved his head so Reed could see his pout. “Don’t make me move.” Reed leaned down to kiss his cheek. 

Reed put the phone back to his ear. “Hey.” 

“I’m going to go up to Olympus, fight every god, and win.” 

Reed laughed. “Sure. I’ll film it. Can’t do brunch. Maybe dinner?” 

Julian blew a raspberry. “You’re no fun. Go ahead and join forces with Shamderson until you turn into one of those dogs that look like they were stuck in a dryer for five hours.” 

“Thanks for thinking we’re cute, I guess.” 

“I hate dogs.” 

“That’s a lie.” 

“You’re right.” Julian chuckled. “I’ll swing by afterwards. I expect Shamderson to be out of your room. I want you all to myself later.” 

* * *

 

At seven-sharp, everyone at school was already talking about the mangled body found in the woods yesterday. Not ten minutes after that, they were talking about Julian and Katherine holding hands. Reed was appalled by this easy shift in air. Tabitha wasn’t from their school, but she was still mauled by an animal. Or something. 

Reed couldn’t shake the certainty he had that it wasn’t a random animal. It buzzed and bristled whenever he tried. It nagged right at the back of his neck. Whenever he tried to find the reason behind this, it hid. The words burrowed beneath the surface of his comprehension. Typically, he’d turn to Shane with these sorts of aggravations but from the way Shane had made his stance on the situation clear.

“You know, I don’t feel good about this,” Shane said, giving Reed some shred of hope that he wasn’t going to the deep end of paranoia. “They’re so close to one another. They’re happening in the woods. Like, it might be something.” Reed was about to open up when Shane added, “But it could be a coincidence. Two boys, then a girl? That’s not a serial killer thing. They have a type. Buzzfeed Unsolved said so. They have facts. They’re not linked by anything. Plus Adam’s still not found, dead or alive. So everything should be fine.” 

Reed tried not to show his disappointment. “I hope you’re right.” 

He was better off going to Julian instead. That wasn’t to say his love for Shane had diminished. That Julian’s jokes about how they weren’t going to survive past the first semester of college were coming true. It was just that Reed needed someone to talk this through with. A thought so desperate for attention yet so eager to pop away the moment Reed attempted to figure it out was a thought Reed couldn’t continue to ignore. 

One problem: Julian and Katherine seemed attached to the hip. Whenever Reed could scrounge up the courage to bring his improbable notions of a murderer on the loose, he’d find Julian busy talking to Katherine. Or on a date with Katherine. Or having sex with Katherine. They were all over one another. Julian was in a fantastic mood about this new relationship that Reed decided it was best that he kept his far-fetched ideas to himself until the honeymoon stage was over. 

Then the nightmares were harder to wake up from. 

They weren’t like sleep paralysis dreams that Reed had from time to time. He’d gasp awake and they would melt back into his subconscious. These were a league of their own. 

Sometimes, he was moving, fast and frantic. Like he was running from an assailant. At the same time, he wasn’t getting anywhere. He had everlasting hallway nightmares before but this wasn’t a hallway. It was a helpless attempt at freedom. Then he’d run into something sharp, or something sharp caught up with him. The pain didn’t wake him up. Not even when the singular stab spread into a claw. Not as he struggled to regain his breath while that claw dug open his chest to get to his heart. Not while his skin was getting torn from his bones by a million teeth all at once. It was when he resigned himself to dying in this darkness that he jolts awake. Pain ringing and lingering for more than the minute it took to catch his breath. 

Other times, he was chasing someone. He’d be lucid enough that he could tell he was dreaming but not lucid enough to control what he was about to do. He wasn’t an animal. He stood too upright and his hands—or claws, they blinked from one form to the next—caught the cool air as he rushed through the twilight forests. He couldn’t figure out what kind of monster he was. Then, he’d pounce on the person he was after. The most unnerving part of it all was the screaming face he’d tear into. Dwight, Adam, Tabitha. They changed every time he had the nightmare. Their faces were the main ones. A few nights in between, he’d see Katherine, Nadia, Shane, himself, and other students in their school. Their faces whirl around, changing and changing, but all having the realization of death in their expressions. Watching himself murder people, and himself, was strange enough. Adding the fact that Julian stood in the background, dead-eyed and silent, throughout it until Reed woke made it incomprehensible.

Once the initial shock of the nightmare wore off, he was always hungry. Considering he killed or died with a copious amount of blood and guts, it should’ve been the last thing on his mind. 

Reed feared that he was going crazy. He started to think he had some Mr. Jekyll personality that was responsible for the murders until he decided, with his hand-eye coordination and his inability to lift objects heavier than a half-empty paint can, that it was impossible for him to take down anyone. Having thought of that was the last straw. As far as he was concerned, the nightmares showed up because he was building all this fear up in his head and not letting himself ease the pressure. He was going crazy trying not to seem crazy. 

“Um...Jules?” Reed approached him after class. Julian stood by Katherine’s locker, staring at her in a way that even made Reed blush. Right behind her was Nadia, who was busy with her phone. All three turned to him. Katherine was nice enough but Nadia always looked constipated when Reed saw them. “...Hi. Can I talk to you for a sec? Or, not a sec...but like talk to you?”

“Of course!” Julian kissed Katherine on the cheek. “I’ll text you.” Nadia gagged when Katherine giggled. She nudged Nadia in retaliation. Julian chuckled as he walked away with Reed.

Reed remained quiet the whole walk and the tension in the air thickened the longer he waited. Julian chose not to comment on it, which Reed was grateful for. Reed could feel himself hunching over, trying to hide a secret he wasn’t sure existed or was real. Meanwhile, Julian seemed unbothered, smiling and greeting those they pass by. It wasn’t until led them to the empty art studio that he dropped his nonchalance for concern. “What’s up? You look like that time your art club got the chance to paint a naked person for the first time earlier this year. Did my mom try to get in on that again?” Reed was too busy untangling his thoughts for the joke to land. 

“No, it’s not that,” Reed replied. “It’s...you know what happened to that girl, Tabitha, two weeks ago?” 

“Yeah, freaky shit.” 

“And you know how that’s coming along after Adam and Dwight?” 

“Yeah? Don’t tell me,” he continued to joke. In most situations, Reed would appreciate how much effort Julian was putting in making him comfortable to spill the beans. This time around, Reed had too terrible a twist in his gut to do so. “You’re the killer. You hulk out and kill people that mildly annoy you.” 

“Um…” 

“Oh my god, that was a joke. Reedy, hey, sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you.” 

“Sorry.” Reed wiped his eyes. “It’s just...I think I’m going crazy.” 

Reed described his worries to Julian, from the theories to the nightmares. When Reed mentioned how he couldn’t tell Shane, Julian wasn’t even smug or condescending about it. He took it all in. As he finished, Julian opened his arms for a hug. His warmth melted the icy hold his anxiety had on his breath.

“That’s not even the worst of it,” Reed managed to say after a few sobs. “I think the nightmares are telling me something. The people I’m...I’m killing are those who are going to be next. Katherine. Me. Nadia. Shane. Casey. Sydney. All of these people at our school. You’re always there in the background so you could be it. I don’t want you to be it.” Julian’s embrace tightened. Reed could hear him stop breathing for a second but was relieved he wasn’t pushing him away in horror. “I don’t want to have visions of future deaths. I’m not even sure if that’s true or not. I think I’m losing it.” 

Then Julian said, “You’re not going crazy. You’re not the killer. Reed Van Kamp would never.” Reed buried his tears into Julian’s sweater. “I’m sorry if you’ve been feeling this way for so long. You shouldn’t have to keep this to yourself.” 

“You and Katherine—I didn’t—”

“Katherine and I have been talking about safety for a while since Tabitha happened. We didn’t want to freak anyone out too. We had a feeling something weird was happening since it’s the third death in three months.” 

“Death,” Reed cut in. “You think Adam’s dead.” 

“Honestly, for however long he’s had a crush on me, I think the only way he’d miss a date with me is if he died. That sounds like a joke, but it’s not. So I believe you. There’s someone out there targeting people. It’s a matter of time before another one bites it. Unless they’re caught. I’ve been bringing Katherine to her house as much as I can. We don’t stay out after dark,” Julian continued. “She has a taser in her bag and my mom got me some pepper spray. We’re ready as we’ll ever be if a killer tries to do their thing with us. We’ll be fine.” 

“It doesn’t feel like it,” Reed said. “Aside from me, you’re the only other person in the dreams. Something’s going to happen and it’s going to happen to one of us.” 

Julian pulled away from the hug to give Reed a stern look. “Nothing’s going to happen to you. I’ll make sure of it.” 

“What about you?” Reed asked. Imagining a life without Julian was like a life without Shane. Maybe even worse. More tears and sobs bubbled right under the surface. Julian held his face and caught the tears as they sprang out. Without having to say it, Reed took a deep breath.

“Oh Reedy. We’ll both be fine. Remember that time I promised to keep you safe when I convinced you to go into that haunted house thing?” 

Reed was half-surprised he was able to get a chuckle out for that. Julian smiled. “We were eleven and you kidnapped me from my mom.” 

“Doesn’t count. She was busy chatting with my mom.” 

“That was years ago.” 

“And you’ve been in relative safety ever since. A murderer won’t stop that.” Julian kissed his cheek then resumed the hug. 

“That’s what white people say in horror movies. They usually die before the end.” 

“I’ll try my best to keep that in mind.” Julian squeezed him. Reed closed his eyes and let his best friend sway his heart into a comfortable pace. This wasn’t going to stop the murders or the nightmares. At the very least, he had someone who believed him. 

* * *

 

December sauntered by and everyone had all but forgotten about Tabitha. Unlike Adam’s and Dwight’s disappearance, more people seemed to care at her school. Her friends continued to mourn. Her grave had more flowers. Her school still had her picture up, promising to remember her. Reed watched it with a nauseated melancholy. He thought of how easily everyone disregarded Dwight and Adam just because they weren’t as conventional as Tabitha. He stood at Dwight’s grave and passed by the Clavell’s house, a silent apology in his thoughts. He wished it were different. He wished there was an equal level of attention, but these were the times he was living in. Even then, the police had deemed Tabitha’s death an accident. She was torn to shreds. Only an animal could do that. 

Reed didn’t admit that he went on internet deep dives to get validation from conspiracy Reddit threads about how her death wasn’t a mere animal attack. He avoided the more supernatural threads, though he dipped in them in moments of weakness. The closest theory that supported his worries was about a serial killer who hadn’t been active since  _ 2008 _ . Many commenters agreed that it was just a copycat. A good one, they amended, but not the same killer. 

As the month wore on without another murder, Reed believed it was time for him to get rest. When snow began to fall and the banners for Tabitha had mostly gone, Reed stopped himself from thinking that he wasn’t going to survive the last few months of the school year. The nightmares continued, but not often. Sometimes, he would wake up in the middle of the night with his heart racing with terror. Those nights, there would be a text from Julian, as though he knew Reed was having a nightmare:

“ _ Hoping your dreams are sweeter. _ ” 

“ _ We’ll be okay. _ ” 

“ _ It will only ever be a dream. Nothing more. _ ” 

“ _Call me if you can’t sleep._ _We’ll look at stars._ ” 

“ _ Drink water. Go back to bed. _ ”

“ _ Remember that stuffed animal I lent you when we were younger? It will still fight monsters for you. _ ” 

They got him through it. 

Then they stopped a week or so before winter break. Both the nightmares and the texts. Reed was always hungry again. Even when he stuffed himself, there was still that craving in the pit of his stomach. His mom said it was the weather. Snow was plopping down by the pound and everyone’s bodies needed the extra layer to fight the cold. His metabolism was eating it all up. Reed accepted it. He saw Shane gorge himself with a full pizza last weekend and still had room for a mug of hot chocolate. Then again, Shane’s metabolism was off the charts. Reed was getting a little bit of a pouch while Shane remained as flat as a board. 

What did strike him as odd was Julian’s lack of appetite. He noticed a while back that he wasn’t eating his lunch. He moved his food around and stared at it these days. Odder still was his silence. He’d been looking down the last few days and it wasn’t because of Katherine. She was still by his side, Nadia in tow, and he managed to smile around her. Whenever he was stressed, he’d tear through a whole back of chocolate, seemingly in one sitting. It couldn’t be college applications. He already got one in the bag, with a scholarship too. It wasn’t finals. He finished his projects days before the deadline. 

Julian wasn’t sick. Reed asked him to go to the school clinic once and had Julian snap at him. “I’m not sick, goddamn it! Leave me alone!” Then left a class that he was meant to take with Reed. Julian apologized later on, though Reed decided to leave him alone for a bit. It could’ve been the pressure tumbling down on him. Or something. 

Julian Larson always found it in himself to be bright and shiny even when he could burn the world under the pressure he was in. He faked through it. Seeing him playing with his food while the rest of them had a conversation made Reed stare. He was paler than anyone on the table, and he was the one who could tan without turning red. Dark circles ringed his empty eyes. This was the third day he’d come to school wearing sweatpants. He had a one day rule for those. And his hair was messy. Not in the good way. He used to talk more, even share his food. Katherine expressed her concern to Reed but, knowing that Julian was in a snappy mood, told her to just let him process it. 

“Finals,” Reed said with a shrug. Katherine didn’t know Julian as well as he did so this was easy for her to accept. 

Reed reached out to Julian. “Hey.” Julian raised his head. “Are you okay?” 

“I’m fine,” Julian answered without trying to sound like he meant it. 

“You’re not eating.” Reed squeezed Julian’s wrist. “Are you sure?” 

“Food’s gross. I’ll get something from the vending machine.” Julian turned away and pulled his arm from Reed’s hold. 

Reed, thinking back to how he avoided everyone while he was losing it with Tabitha’s murder, leaned forward. Julian drew in a deep breath. At the very least, Reed thought, Julian wasn’t going to go through whatever this was feeling like he couldn’t talk to Reed. He braced for impact. “Please talk to me.” 

“I said I’m fine!” Julian’s voice rang through the cafeteria. Everyone in their immediate vicinity stopped talking. Those farther away turned to look. Julian glared at his tray. “Fucking—I’m so tired of you all badgering me. Jesus Christ, can’t a guy just be miserable without looking for company. Just because you have to share every little struggle you have to keep yourself sane, doesn’t mean that everyone has to do it too.” Tears pricked below Reed’s waterline. 

“Dude, don’t talk to him like that,” Shane jumped in. “He’s worried about you. We all—”

“Shut the fuck up,  _ dude _ ,” Julian interrupted. He got up from his seat. “I’m gonna go for a walk. I’m fine. Don’t follow me.” Julian rushed away. Everyone who stood in his path took a different one before they got hit. Students parted. The teacher who tried to scold him for yelling in the cafeteria cowered under his gaze. It wasn’t until he slammed past the doors that Reed allowed himself to wipe the tears away. 

“Excuse me, I’m gonna murder him.” Shane began to stand and Reed held him down. “He—”

“Is in a bad mood,” Reed supplied. 

“He’s been in one for the last week and a half,” Nadia commented. “Which is surprising because he orgasms every three days with this one.” Katherine poked her side with an elbow. “Ow! It’s true. If anyone is supposed to be in a bad mood, it’s me. I haven’t gotten laid in months.” 

Shane raised his hands. “Don’t look at us.” 

“Reed.” Katherine scooted closer to him. “Do you want me to talk to him? That was really harsh.”

Reed tried not to sniffle. “No. It’s best if we leave him alone. He’ll come around.” Reed tried to believe himself. 

Julian was unreachable the whole afternoon. He flit around like a ghost. He was far from invisible. Reed could tell when Julian was near because students continued to fear touching him. He parted walls of students. The hall became muted whenever he passed. Reed tried to talk to him again after trigonometry but he left the room without looking at him. 

Just as Reed typed a long apology message on Facebook, Julian called him. 

“Hey,” Reed didn’t hide his relief. “I was just about to message you.” 

“Yeah? Good thing I called,” Julian said. “Listen...I’m sorry. I didn’t mean what I said. I’ve been in a funk lately. I think I’m coming down with something. You know I hate getting sick.” 

“How long has it been since you last got sick?” Reed’s tone grew lighter as the weight of Julian’s upset left his shoulders. “Years, probably. I was beginning to think you were invincible.” 

Julian hummed. “Not there yet. Unfortunately mortal.” 

“Just like the rest of us.” Julian chuckled. It was short, but sweet.

“Forgive me?” 

“You don’t have to ask,” Reed said without any pause. “But, would you mind coming over? We’ll cook s’mores.” 

Julian sighed. “I can’t tonight. Katherine’s parents invited me to dinner. They’re going to LA for the holidays and they wanted to see me before they go.” 

Reed colored with surprise. “You’re really serious about Katherine, huh?” 

A coy and pleased “yeah” from Julian more than answered Reed’s question. 

“Well, can’t get in the way of true love,” Reed said. This time, Julian laughed, and it was such a beautiful thing to hear after a while of its absence. 

“We’ll be as disgusting as you and Curly Fries soon.” 

“Wouldn’t bet on it.” 

There was a brief moment of silence then Julian said, “Thank you for caring. I didn’t mean what I said earlier.” 

“It’s fine,” Reed said. 

“Are you sure?” 

It wasn’t but Reed didn’t want to upset Julian any more than he already was. If something was bothering him, he would tell Reed in his own time. He didn’t like fighting with Julian, or anybody for that matter. He was sorry. That was all Reed wanted. 

“Sure I’m sure. Everything is fine.” 

* * *

 

The next day, nothing was fine. 

The power went out. The entire town was covered in three feet of snow. Reed and Dolce were sneezing on every available surface of the house. There was no signal until noon, but at least the phone lines weren’t down. From afar, Reed could hear sirens pierce the gray stillness of the morning. Not ten minutes later, Julian called Reed in a shaky state while someone’s sobs shuddered in the background. The body of Nadia Cohen was found mangled in her room. 


	8. A Walking Nightmare

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nadia dreams of Julian Larson.

Being the third wheel was a pill she had no problem swallowing. She wasn’t jealous of Katherine. She’d never been jealous of Katherine. It was too kind a term. Envious was more like it. 

Nadia tried her best to ignore it. They were neighbors. They grew up dancing together. Their parents went on double dates. Katherine’s never been anything other than kind and encouraging, even when Nadia’s envy caused her to grow resentful, first at Katherine, then at herself. Katherine was simply better than her in every conceivable aspect in their lives and the sooner she accepted that, the better she would feel. 

She was looking forward to graduation. Katherine was going to be amazing at that fancy performing arts school in New York while Nadia got into a performing arts college in Los Angeles. As much as Katherine begged her to join the same university, Nadia couldn’t survive another year being compared to the infallible Katherine Rivers. Then both of them were single for a long while. It looked to stay that way until Julian Larson decided that Katherine was going to be the one he’d grace with his love this year. That wouldn’t sting so much if it weren’t for the fact that Julian was flirting with the two of them the whole night. 

She thought she did a good job keeping that part of her inside. Everyone was in danger of being attracted to Julian. He had one of those smiles. He had one of those tongues, both sexually and metaphorically. Nadia didn’t feel too bad at first, complaining about how Katherine got him. She even told Katherine. 

Then it became a relationship. Nadia’s attraction didn’t wane. It blossomed into something that wanted to claw Katherine’s eyes out. 

It wasn’t even Julian doing anything specific. His presence was just too irresistible. Every time he’d look at her or smile at her or touch her (in the most appropriate areas—her arm, her shoulder, her upper back), she got hot in all the right places. She hated him for that. That hate started with Katherine then she realized it was more productive to hate Julian. If she hated him, she wouldn’t want to fuck him so much. 

But that ended up stoking the flames. Her dreams were hot, heavy, and aggressive. And wrong. She wasn’t doing anything with Julian but Nadia still felt like she was cheating on Katherine by holding on to this sordid crush on her boyfriend. 

There were moments where she could’ve done something with him. Katherine left them alone a lot. That was Nadia’s fault. She tried to avoid Katherine when she was with Julian and so Katherine got it in her head that Julian and Nadia needed to bond. She’d be late for hangouts. She’d fake a minor emergency at home so Julian would drive Nadia home instead. Nadia wanted to shrivel and die whenever this happened. 

Julian, to his credit, kept his hands to himself. He was nice to Nadia. Sometimes, when he was in a mood, like he was late in the month, he’d be silent. He never aimed any of his negativity at her. Or Katherine, for that matter. It was excruciatingly admirable. 

Knowing this, Nadia conceded to the dreams. They were nothing more than wish fulfillment and a way for her to blow off some steam. This wasn’t going behind Katherine’s back. This wasn’t stabbing her either. This was normal attraction and she shouldn’t deprive herself of her feelings. It wasn’t real. 

The first few times she masturbated to thoughts of Julian, guilt ruined her appetite and her sleep cycle. They were getting way too vivid too. Memories of him continued to penetrate her even after she’d shaken the sleep out of her body. Even when alone, she thought someone saw it all. Not just her thoughts but her actions. Once she got used to it, she found that it helped her look less uptight whenever she was around that nightmare couple at school. Life was as it were. Nadia still couldn’t wait for graduation. 

(Or when Katherine and Julian broke up, whichever came first.) 

* * *

 

Nadia Cohen was both an easy and difficult meal to prepare. 

He had to be careful. People were starting to notice. Reed was the closest one to figuring it out. Julian wasn’t too ready to tell him yet. He was so frightened and Julian wasn’t in the best state to provide that information. Maybe after this. He just needed to get through a little over a month. Draining his abilities was a small price to pay for less suspicion. And he had to admit, there was some pleasure to draw from watching Nadia squirm. 

Her attraction to him was a thread he tugged on until it gave. He hadn’t tried anything long term with his gravitational pull. Bringing someone in during the heat of the moment was like breathing to him. Manipulating someone in small doses over the span of weeks was experimental. 

He visited her, during the dead of night. There was no way to watch her dreams but the beads of sweat and the touch-starved glances she thought he didn’t notice told him enough. It was hard to resist taking her. The tension in her was explosive. The desire on her filled the space between them with the most tempting scent. Pretending not to notice was a simple relaxed set of the face and shoulders. 

It wasn’t his stomach that grumbled these days. It was all of him. Outside and inside. Every cell of him begged for sustenance. Whenever he looked anyone whose mouth watered at the sight of him, he had to remind himself that a pattern was forming. Patterns was what got serial killers caught. He wasn’t an idiot. 

Julian slinked into Nadia’s room. She had her sheets twisted around her body. His fingers ran across exposed flesh and she gasped. He focused on doubling her lust with his. He kept her under, willing her to stay prone, stay dreaming, so he could get her used to his touch at night. He leaned over to whisper in her ear. 

“Do you want me?” 

“Julian,” she mumbled. 

“Tell me you want me.” 

She turned over to pull a pillow towards her by her legs. “Yes.” 

He just needed to be a bit more patient. Just a little bit longer. 

* * *

 

Sometimes, Nadia liked to think that Julian was watching her. The sensation of being watched turned from something creepy over her shoulder to something she craved. In her weak moments, he stood at her bathroom, clothes half off and touching himself to the tempo of her touches. He sat on the chair by her vanity, telling her what to do, what she should show him. Then once, and this still made her thighs quiver, he was right beside her. He whispered all the nasty things he wanted to do to her as he slipped his fingers into her. Not all the way to the knuckle, no matter how hard she begged. She wondered if he did this to Katherine.

Tonight was something fierce. She wasn’t sure if it was the spiked eggnog she drank or if the snow’s effect on her metabolism reached a weird peak, but it was like he was there. His tongue slid past her lips like a knife through softened butter. His fingers teased the hem of her underwear. These was how the dreams started from time to time. One moment she was in sleeping darkness, then there was Julian. On her and in her. 

This time, Julian seemed to take it slow. He undressed her one piece at a time. Winter had its downsides. There were too many layers and it was getting too hot. His hands ignited her. The way they prodded and squeezed and rubbed had her heart crashing around into everything around it. When he moved his mouth from her lips, she couldn’t get a whine out before they were on her chest again. She clutched his hair as he sighed like he was relieved to do this. That he had waited as much as she did. 

Julian unraveled her. The promises he made in a previous dream came to life in this one. His mouth was on her, bringing her straight to the brink before long. Then he stopped to enter her. It felt too real. She couldn’t scream out her pleasure. Having him there, filling her, holding her, was far too much for sounds to express. She stared at him as though she couldn’t believe he was there, mouth parted in pleasure at the first thrust. It was a dream. He was always there. She shouldn’t be surprised. 

It wasn’t long until she was finished. Just like that dream she had with his fingers, but better. He was in her as her muscles clenched. His arms tensed. His breath stuttered beside her pulse. He flipped her over and he arched his neck. Nadia placed her hand on his sturdy chest and began moving her hips. He smiled at her. For a moment, guilt clutched her heart. Then it was gone. Like this dream would go when she was done. She hoped it wasn’t until much later. She hoped the sun stopped rising for one whole day. 

At the end, she lied face down on her sheets. She was out of breath. She’d never been out of breath in a dream before. It was a strange sensation. Her lids weighed. She supposed it was just like getting hurt. This would pass soon enough. She chose to cling to the ecstacy that continued to echo across her damp skin. She focused on Julian’s fingers brushing down her spine. When he left her bed, she figured that was where the dream ended. 

“Nadia,” he called. Most of the time, the sound would come from far in the darkness. This one, Julian was right in front of her. 

She looked up. She rolled over for her body to face him. A soft smile spread on her face and he mirrored it. He knelt on her bed. He cupped her face and she expected a kiss goodbye. The dreams sometimes ended like that. She closed her eyes. 

This dream ended with a growl and an indescribable, piercing pain in her abdomen. Several spikes sank into her throat, cutting off any sound, blood, or air.  


	9. Bad Life Decisions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reed watches Julian get messy with his liquor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Drink Responsibly.

Katherine was inconsolable. She wouldn’t go a day without crying her eyes out. Everyone tried to be there for her. Julian held her hand wherever she went. Reed sat with her in silence when he could. There was no way to comfort her. Nadia was taken in her room. Had she been anywhere else, there’d be no way to identify her. Rumors said that she was torn to pieces, leaving nothing but puddles of flesh and blood. Reed tried not to listen to those. Julian snapped at anyone who so much as mentioned Nadia around him.

Reed looked up at the Cohens’ house. Even in the car’s heated interior, Reed felt his entire body go cold. He couldn’t imagine what it must’ve been like for Katherine. Julian was offering a soft voice for her at the front seat, their foreheads pressed together. The Cohens left the house, unable to carry on there without Nadia. They’d been helping them move to an AirBnB while they look for a permanent residence. Reed couldn’t scrub the tableau between the Rivers and the Cohens when they dropped boxes over. The Rivers had Katherine staying at the Willises for the time being. Katherine had asked Julian to bring her there.

“I just want to get used to it. I can’t keep crying whenever I see it,” she had said at the start of the drive. Reed found that brave. If Julian died, he didn’t think he’d be able to stay in the state, let alone the town.

The longer he stared at the house, the more familiar it seemed for some reason. He and Katherine had their share of conversations but they weren’t the type of friends who visited each other’s places. Not even when she started dating Julian. He couldn’t put his finger on it. He’d been dreaming about a house before, in the dead of night with some moaning in the background, but he chalked those up to some sort of unconscious weirdness. As he stared, the dream in his memory shaped into the Cohens’.

He shook his head. He had to stop going to those serial killer reddit threads again. He managed to keep it together for a while there since there was a huge peaceful gap following Tabitha’s death but Nadia’s sent him down those spirals again. He couldn’t bear asking questions to Katherine, or worse, the Cohens. What he knew was what he heard. She was torn almost to shred. That there was no signs of forced entry. Not even a peep. Her parents found the remains early the next morning before breakfast. Animal attack was ruled out. The M.O. didn’t match anyone who was still wanted. Most of the people who did something similar to other victims were either already incarcerated or executed. With that kind of intimate murder, no one should be able to get away too far.

It’d been just over a week and still no suspect.

After dropping off Katherine to the Willses, Reed moved to the front seat. The sadness that weighed on the car lingered, but not by much. Reed wondered why he wasn’t sadder than he should be. He glanced at Julian, who maintained a deep frown. He was looking fine these days. Reed was relieved he wasn’t sick anymore. He couldn’t imagine how Julian could’ve held Katherine through this if he was still in an ill mood. Then again, Julian was good at keeping up appearances.

“Hey.” Reed reached for Julian’s arm. He noticed how warm he was. “How are you?”

“Worried about Katherine. I was there when they found out. It was harrowing,” he admitted, then turned to Reed for a tiny smile. “I’ll be fine. Thanks for checking in.”

“Yeah… Are you sure? You’re feeling a little warm.” He reached for Julian’s forehead. Warmer than usual. “You shouldn’t push yourself if you can’t. You won’t be able to take care of Katherine if you’re dead on your feet.”

“Am I?” Julian touched his face and neck. “I don’t feel any like it. I feel great. Well, physically, at least.” He slouched on his seat.

“Okay…” Reed hummed to himself. He faced the road again and felt himself. Julian was warmer. Then again, he could just be getting cold too fast.

* * *

 

The whole town was in lockdown. It one thing for the attack to happen in the woods, it was another for one to happen inside a supposedly secured house. Hilde changed the locks and their alarm system. Reed  wasn’t allowed go out of the house without texting her every hour on the hour like he used to when he was thirteen and Julian convinced her to let him hang out at the mall.

Even the school had a serious talk with them about not being alone and to have at least one person know where they were at all times. Everyone was on edge.

Reed was having nightmares again. He didn’t understand why they were happening to him. Katherine, he understood. Maybe even Julian, since he was so close to the scene. Reed had a good night’s sleep up until he got that call from Julian. They were the same scenes—woods, people at their school, screaming, hunger, Julian. Reed thought he’d be used to them by now but he still had him waking with his heart clinging to his ribs. Part of him was convinced he was doing a Jekyll and Hyde. Then the other part of him argued that there would’ve been evidence. And after a bit of researching, the only times he hadn’t been aware of himself was when he slept. While he did wake up tired, he wasn’t too tired. The nightmares explained that. Nothing was out of place in his body. No random bits of dirt or blood. And even if he did bathe after the fact, he would’ve woken up to a damp pillow or something askew in the bathroom. He also hadn’t gone through any sort of trauma that would necessitate a dissociative identity.

He told Julian and he apologized. “I haven’t been checking on you. I didn’t even notice how tired you’ve been looking lately.”

“It’s fine.” Reed swatted the air. “You’ve got a lot on your plate.”

“Well just because I have a girlfriend, doesn’t mean I can forget about you.” Julian ruffled Reed’s head. “How about we order in tonight?”

“I thought you and Katherine had plans.”

Julian waggled his head. “Yeah but it seems like I’ve spent way more time on her than you. And I’m sure you’re getting sick of seeing that poodle you call a boyfriend anyway. How about it?” Reed couldn’t say no.

And it was nice for a while. Julian texted as if he’d woken up from the same nightmare. They spent time together whenever they could. Even Katherine was looking a lot better. Julian was as shiny as ever. Then the month began to end.

As Reed himself got hungrier, he noted with an unnamed pit in his stomach, that Julian started to lose his luster again. While he wasn’t snappy or rough with anyone like before, it was little things that counted. He wore sweatpants more often than not. His focus waned in class. He was skipping cheer practice and student council meetings. He never skipped those unless he was sick or had a prior commitment.

Reed realized, as he watched Katherine and Julian get their lunches and she was checking his temperature like Reed did, that it’d been years since Julian was sick. Now it was happening almost every month. And for some reason, that tied into Reed’s cravings. He mentioned this to Julian, and Julian laughed it off.

“Did we really turn into those kinds of friends?”

This response, for some reason, rattled a sharp tune up Reed’s spine. Something about Julian’s easy smile didn’t look too easy. He turned to Shane later that day. Julian had plans with Katherine.

“Maybe it’s just a coincidence.” Shane shrugged. “You know how like girls’ menstrual cycles go in sync if they stick together for too long.”

“We’re not girls and we’ve known each other for at least fourteen years. If it were that, it would’ve happened when we were ten,” Reed rebutted.

“Sure, but it could be the hormones,” he continued. “Teenage boys and all that shit.”

“Then why haven’t we gone in sync?” Reed asked.

“Babe,” Shane whined, pouting. He reached over the table at the little town diner that just opened. “Do you really think we’re out of sync? I know I’ve been busy at work but I’m trying my best here.” A smile tugged hopelessly at the corners of his lips.

Reed chuckled and patted Shane’s hand. “Honey, it’s just been so hard when I hear from your secretary more than you. I want a divorce.” Shane clutched his chest, feigning a heart failure. Reed nudged him with his foot. There were other people in the place.

“Seriously, though,” Reed said. “Don’t you think it’s weird? He’s getting sick all the time and I’m getting hungry at the same time.” He left out the part about the nightmares. He could hear himself sounding crazy already. He didn’t want Shane to have confirmation.

“You’re thinking about it too much. You’re a hungry, growing boy. Julian’s probably not taking care of himself these days.” Then in a mutter, he added, “I’m pretty sure he gets it raw so I’m surprised that it took this long for him to contract something.” Reed kicked him again, harder. “You know it’s true, don’t deny it.”

“Not funny.”

“Regardless, all I’m saying is that maybe he’s just stressed out. Senior year is stressing everyone out. And no matter how perfect he may seem, Julian is only human.” Reed found this dubious for a second. He wasn’t sure why. Something in his gut told him that Julian was may more than that. He grew up with Julian. He was always one step ahead of their peers. Two steps ahead of Reed. Julian had his flaws but he found a way to work around them. His perfectionism, his vanity, his snarkiness. Julian held them tight to his chest.

But Shane was right. Even Julian had his limits. He was looking for trouble where trouble wasn’t.

* * *

 

Almost a month after winter break and no any more gruesome murders following Nadia, there was a cry for normalcy. To most people, that meant going to the grocery for late night errands or cravings. It meant parents stopped getting too paranoid and grant their kids time with their friends. It meant not being afraid of dying every week.

And for their high school, it meant a party was happening whether the killer wanted it or not. Katherine was unhappy. Reed found her anger terrifying. It was an emotion that he had never seen her express up until Julian invited her. What was worse was Julian was in one of his monthly moods again. Up until that moment, he wasn’t as bad as before. He just got way too quiet than usual but no feelings were hurt in the last week. Whether or not she was going to agree to it, Reed expected a silent no and something about she wasn’t feeling it.

“I just wanted to help you unwind! Like I’ve always been. You can’t keep grieving for her, it’s been a month. Don’t you want to do something normal for once?!”

“She was my best friend! I’ll keep grieving her until the day I fucking die too. Fuck you!”

Since they were doing this in front of their lockers and right before a class, Reed decided it was best to just walk away from the conversation he was almost a part of. He thought it was a good idea so Julian went for it. Reed didn’t think it would garner such a reaction, or an audience. Guilt itched down his throat as he walked away. Parties were more Julian thing than his. Bad things always happened whenever he tried to be cool. After he tried smoking weed that one time and cried through the whole thing, he should’ve learned his lesson.

Reed learned to leave Julian alone on these days. This one, most especially. Julian wouldn’t be pleased with him since he brought it up and encouraged him to talk to Katherine about it. Now, just by how fast the gossip went, someone asked him what he thought about The Break-Up, and Reed wished he could disappear for the rest of the week.

He tried to busy himself with Shane, then a book, then homework, then music, then staring at his phone, waiting for the inevitable explosion from Julian. It wasn’t until well after dinner and after Reed gave up trying to sleep the day away that his phone rang.

“Jules, hey,” Reed said, sitting up. The beginnings of an apology stuttered through him when Julian interjected.

“I’m downstairs, in a car.”

“What?”

“Get down here. Put on something nice. We’re going to that god forsaken party.”

“Is Katherine—”

“Five minutes.” The call ended. Reed sat for a second to consider the positives of the interaction. Julian was talking to him. He didn’t die. That was all he needed.

Reed put on some party clothes he was willing to part with in case of a beverage altercation, rushed downstairs without waking his mom up, and flew out the door with thirty seconds to spare. He noticed that it wasn’t the Larson car. He noticed the logo up front. Julian never did Ubers unless he was intending to get perfectly trashed without a designated driver. He thought of suggesting Shane then realized Julian wasn’t going to be taking suggestions from him any time soon.

The car beeped. Reed shuffled back into his body and he slid beside Julian. The driver drove away. Julian was wearing nice clothes, unlike the sweats he’d been wearing all week. His hair was coiffed and ready to go. He didn’t even look broken-up with. He turned to Reed and offered a weak smile.

“Thanks for coming.”

“Of course! I—I mean—I’m sorry. I didn’t think Katherine would react that way. Are you two…?”

“Let’s not talk about Katherine right now please.”

“Sure. Of course.” Reed’s entire body clenched and he sank into his side of the car. He didn’t expect Julian to slide near him and lace his hand through Reed’s. He had his eyes closed. He was still. Reed felt his own heart fracture, knowing he had a hand in this.

“It’s not your fault,” Julian said. “You’re so tense.”

Reed thought to apologize again but decided to keep his mouth shut. Julian didn’t want to hear it. He shouldn’t push himself off the precarious edge he’d put himself on. He squeezed Julian’s hand. “How are you?”

“In a dire need of alcohol.” When Julian said this, an inexplicable, heaving dread rose to Reed’s throat. He wanted to tell the driver to turn back. There was no real reason to. As parties went, the Hughes’ was the tamest wild one they could go to. Nothing could go wrong. Unless someone massacred all the students there. Whatever was killing the teens in their area was still out there and it was due for more blood. Reed could feel it. How he could, he wasn’t sure. He was definitely going paranoid. Saying it aloud would make it real so Reed pushed the thought away.

“Why do you look like you’re about to jump out this car?” Reed refocused his eyes to the present. He turned to Julian’s blank expression.

“I...I don’t know. I just feel...weird, I guess.”

Julian sighed. “If you don’t want to go to the party, you could’ve just said so.”

“No! No.” Reed turned his whole body to Julian. “You want to go. I could make sure you don’t do anything too crazy, you know? I want to be there for you. You’ve been there for me the whole time, with the nightmares.” And he most likely caused the break-up of a promising relationship that would last at least three semesters of college.

Julian leaned his head on Reed’s. He sighed again. “Thank you.”

Even though Reed could do very little to dissuade a drunk Julian from doing anything crazy, he couldn’t abandon Julian now. He chased away thoughts of Julian being the next victim. He was going to make sure of it. If he had to die with Julian, at least they wouldn’t have to die alone.

The party was more subdued than what Reed was bracing himself for when they arrived. It was still noisy with youthful energy. People were already drunk. Pairs made out at corners. Games were played on tables doused with drinks. Irrespective of that, there was still a somber and cautious air surrounding them, especially those in the backyard. More lights were on. People glanced at the darkness and lowered their volume to talk about something they’d rather not. Not as many people were trashed. There was this one girl that Reed didn’t recognize at all with brown hair and dark clothes skulking around the perimeter. No one paid her any mind, though she paid them all mind. Their eyes met for a moment. She cocked her brow to a pair of drunk girls, who seemed to be locked in an emotional, philosophical debate. The girl shrugged. Reed understood, nodding to Julian.

Julian was greeted by other friends who didn’t seem to see Reed. Wes offered him a drink as Reed stepped away. He took it so no one would badger him about it. He supposed he could drink, as long as he didn’t match Julian’s pace. Julian, on the other hand, was handed two shots and downed them in succession. People cheered. Julian grinned at him, and Reed was relieved to see it. He tipped his cup.

Reed stayed close by, nursing the same drink. He watched Julian lose himself to games and drinks and flirts. He chose not to bring up Katherine. Julian would never cheat, even if he was getting himself soaked in alcohol. And, admittedly, his loyalty was with Julian. He wasn’t going to report to Katherine if he was getting a bit forward with a couple of people. This was Julian’s part in these kinds of things. The charming boy no one could take home. He drew crowds and they were left to speculate.

When Julian went to the bathroom to throw up, Reed was willing to come in with him. Julian pushed him out and locked the door. Reed rushed around for water. There was something troubling him as he worried for Julian’s liver but it didn’t occur to him until he found the bathroom empty and Julian with another mixed drink two rooms away. Julian didn’t puke in other houses. Either he held it in the whole night or he let it out in the safety of his own home. It was his rule. He couldn’t kiss anyone if he just puked, it was impolite, he said.

Maybe Julian was really taking this fight with Katherine pretty bad. What little alcohol Reed had in his stomach roiled. They might’ve broken up. And Julian had gone through break-ups but never so bad that he puked within the first hour of a party.

“Hey, are you okay?” Reed asked when he gathered enough courage to interrupt the conversation Julian was having.

“Yeah! Yeah I am, my bud!” Julian put an arm around Reed.

“You sure? I haven’t seen you puke at a party before,” Reed continued.

“Nah, I’m good.” Julian dropped the drink he was holding and laughed. “Well shit. That tasted good too.” He righted himself up and ruffled Reed’s hair. “We dandy, Reedy. Don’t worry about me. Drink up. Enjoy.” Then Julian slinked to the makeshift bar at one corner of the kitchen.

Reed kept a closer eye on Julian, though maintained a certain distance. Close enough to yank him from, or join—whichever came first—immediate danger, far enough that he didn’t come off as a hovering mother.

Julian performed, as he always did. He drew his admirers, some emboldened by Katherine’s absence. He kept drinking. Reed did note that Julian spilled way more cups than he ever saw. Most of them were full too, which Reed found strange too. He tipped his head back with every gulp but the contents told Reed different. Julian had better coordination drunk compared to Reed sober.

This was the confirmation Reed needed to know Julian and Katherine broke up. He decided to be guilty about it later when Julian was crying. For the time being, Reed got Julian some water and prepared a speech about how they both needed to go home. It was late anyway. He wasn’t sure if there were going to be Ubers at this time. It wasn’t a good idea to walk home, especially with how drunk Julian was. Staying here was going to get them both in trouble.

Just as Reed was about to get into it, Derek and Casey stumbled by. “Wanna have a threesome? We want to.Logan won’t do it,” Casey slurred. The people around them hooted and hollered. Reed shrunk into the audience.

“I’m literally gay,” Logan called.

Julian shrugged, tipped the drink into his mouth. Most of it dribbled down his shirt. “When, where, and how hard?” More cheering, this time jostling. Out of reflex, Reed attempted to remind Julian of Katherine. Then he foresaw a very angry, drunk Julian. Having an audience to a fight Reed was going to lose made him feel what he believed a hangover felt.

“No fucking in the house,” Wes declared.

“Fine. We’ll go home. Logan,” Derek threw his keys at a random direction. It hit Reed on the forehead. “Drive us home. Sorry about your munchkin.”

“He’s okay.” Julian turned to Reed, who had dropped the cup of water and was clutching his head. “You okay, right?”

Reed nodded. “Yeah… Um…” The last time he left Julian under the influence that weird night they shared at his house happened. Reed was unsettled by the parallel. He reached for Julian as Logan picked up the keys and escorted Derek and Casey out. Casey was tugging on Julian’s sleeve. Reed had to follow.

“Hey, we should go home,” Reed said. The couple was swinging around each other and Logan was corralling them to the back of the car. “You’re too drunk. Your mom will be looking for you.”

“She’ll be fine. She knows I’m with you,” Julian replied.

“Not for long. You can’t bring me along in this threesome,” Reed said, face flushing.

“It’ll be fine, Reedy. I’ll be fine. Logan will bring you home too. Right, Lo?” Julian draped himself on Logan’s shoulders. Logan paused. His eyes were darting up and down Julian’s face. Reed felt like he was intruding on something.

“We saw him first,” Derek shouted from the car. Casey laughed.

“They’re right.” Julian blew a kiss to Logan so close to his actual lips then he walked to the car like he was on high heels with two left feet. The three of them giggled in as Julian entered. Casey was in the middle. Derek was kissing her and Julian put his lips on her neck. Reed snapped his eyes to Logan, who sighed.

“You sure you want a ride home with that?” Logan gestured. Reed wasn’t looking.

Reed rather not but it was either that or being forced to talk to other people in the house. “Play loud music.”

“This isn’t my first rodeo.” Logan opened the front door for Reed. “Hang in there.”

The drive from Wes’ house to Derek’s wasn’t too painful. Logan had good music. Reed had the privilege of not driving, so he wasn’t looking at the rear view all the time. There were moments when the illusion was broken.

“No fucking in my car.”

“Derek, wait until you’re at the house before you pull your dick out. I know it’s impressive. The whole fucking school knows!”

“Please don’t throw your lacy underwear at Reed. Yes, they’re nice.”

“No, I will not be making your foursome. Don’t ask me again.”

“No Julian, you’re drunk and I’m sober. Let’s not have this conversation right now.”

Then they were at Derek’s house. Reed was never religious but he thanked the heavens and Jesus when Logan stopped the car and the people in the backseat began rolling out. Reed took a moment to compose himself before following suit.

The house was huge. There was a hedge fence but no gates. As they stepped closer, Reed noted the security cameras at every corner.

“Are your parents home?” Julian asked.

“Yes, but don’t worry. My room’s soundproof,” Derek answered.

“Nice.”

“I know, right?” Casey held onto Julian’s arm. “I tried screaming, literally screaming, my head off and he recorded it outside his room. Can’t hear anything. We could get murdered and no one would hear it. Oh my god, sorry.” She jumped away and shook her hands at him. “I didn’t mean to say it like that.” Julian smiled and led Casey into a deep kiss. She wrapped herself around Julian, melting into his body. Derek was unperturbed. In fact, Derek was adjusting himself through his pants and Reed didn’t need to see that.

They left the trio, giggling and groping, inside the front door. Logan helped Derek put in the alarm code for the house, which at least gave Reed comfort. Nothing was getting in our out unannounced or unseen. Derek’s parents must be so used to his escapades. Logan even looked at one of the cameras and shrugged. Reed didn’t think he could stomach bringing Shane home if he knew his mom would see him coming and going.

Logan didn’t wait around to make sure they got to a bed or they didn’t wake Derek’s family up. Reed figured Derek knew the way. He was sure Derek would get them there eventually. Reed promised himself not to believe any rumor about anyone since Julian was a subject of many of them. He supposed he could make an exception for Derek Seigerson.

Him and Logan sat in silence. Reed was trying to erase the last ten minutes of his life he was never going to get back. He figured Logan was too.

Logan cleared his throat. “I don’t know where you live.”

“Right, um… It’s not too far from here.”

After giving him directions, Reed was now too aware of how little he and Logan have interacted over the years. The last memory he had of the two of them talking was backstage at the school musical after a piece of the background fell on Reed and Logan carried him to the nurse. Reed didn’t think bringing it over would be a conversation starter.

“I saw you singing to the song I played earlier,” Logan said. “The one from Emma Blackery.”

“Yeah…I like her.” He was also trying to block the noises coming from his best friend and Logan’s best friend. Another pause. Reed glanced at Logan. “I have a boyfriend.”

“Okay, let’s just play some music.”

Reed was too busy with his relief to think about why he said what he did. When he got home and thanked Logan for the ride, he rushed to his room and passed out.

* * *

 

The nightmares came in full force that night after weeks of peaceful sleep.

It was a long road. There were no cars and no houses to frame the sides. The area wasn’t lit by anything but Reed could see enough, like it was that moment just before the sun came up from the horizon. Reed couldn’t tell where the horizon was.

Something breathed on Reed’s neck. It was thick and hot. The smell that swirled from behind him was a disgusting mix of blood left for the elements and saliva laced with half-puked, chunky alcohol. Nevertheless, hunger bloomed from Reed’s stomach. Then came a growl, then the fear. Reed ran. Behind him came a shriek. It was the kind of shriek that had begged and cried and used too many times but fell on deaf, uncaring ears.

He was in the woods again. He slipped on mud and caught himself on the shoulder with a stump. His arm started feeling static. A rotten scent assaulted his senses. His eyes burned as he was compelled to turn to it. It was Julian, gray-skinned and blank-faced. His mouth was left open, showing a row of teeth interspaced with wriggling maggots. Reed scrambled away. His arm was still sore. His ears rang. He couldn’t work his lungs when he saw the figure hunched over Julian.

It was still Julian. This one had a glowing tan, lustrous hair, and a bloody grin. He was scooping something from the hole in the other Julian’s side into his mouth. Parts of it dripped to the ground in viscous mounds. That Julian’s grin widened and sharpened. He dove towards Reed.

Reed gasped himself awake. He was sleeping on his arm and his phone was ringing. He pushed himself up, shaking his arm. With his other one, he picked up without looking at the number.

“Hello?”

“Hey,” Katherine replied, “found a stray.”

Reed tried to remember which one she was talking about. His puppy or his cat. Then she told him which one it was.

“Oh god, yeah. Sorry.” Reed rubbed his face awake. “How is he? What time is it?” It was just after dawn. “Did he cause...any problems?”

“No. No, he was at the Willises. And...he was a bit of a mess but nothing too harmful,” she started. “I’m not sure if you know…that we broke up…”

Reed didn’t want to have this conversation first thing in the morning but he figured it was a small price to pay. He couldn’t imagine what Julian did at the Willises, with Katherine, under the influence. “Yeah. We didn’t talk much about it last night, but I kinda figured. I’m sorry. I feel like that was my fault. I was the one who suggested the party. I thought it would be a nice thing for the two of you. I didn’t mean to set you off and then set Julian off. I’m sorry.”

“Reed, it’s not your fault. If it’s anyone’s...it’s that monster who killed Nadia,” she said before Reed could go on. “I’ve been out of sorts. You and Julian and Shane have been great but I don’t think a boyfriend will fix anything right now. I’m not in the right state for it. It would be unfair to both me and Julian if we kept trying.”

Reed nodded. “I’m nodding,” he said after a pause. “Where is he now? Did you bring him home?”

“That’s what I’m trying to figure out. Should I bring him to Dolce or to you guys?”

“How much does he reek of alcohol?”

“Like he fell in a vat of it.”

Reed sighed. “Bring him here.”

Katherine arrived within five minutes after the call. By then, Reed already had some ramen cooking (after burning himself a couple of times) and a pitcher of orange juice waiting at the kitchen table. Julian was passed out at the back.

“Morning,” Reed offered a hug, which she accepted. “Thanks for bringing him over. I’m sorry again for this. I didn’t think I’d have to worry about him until much later, considering how much he drank.”

“It’s okay. No harm, no foul. He just cried and begged a lot. More than I expected. I never thought I would ever see the day Julian Larson fell.” She glanced over her shoulder with a rueful smile. “It killed me to tell him no. I’m pretty sure he was still drunk when he went to me so that could soften the blow a bit. And it’s a good ego boost to know I was the one to do it.” She chuckled. “Fleeting. Still oh so fleeting.”

“Me neither. Seeing the mighty fall, I mean,” Reed said. “You two must’ve had something special.”

Katherine shrugged. “Nothing like you and Shane.”

“We’re just gross.” Reed and Katherine shared a smile. “C’mon, let’s wake him up. I’m not trusting myself to carry him to safety.”


	10. The Mighty Fall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A threesome to die for.

Derek Seigerson was a tall order but Julian liked to challenge himself. 

As his powers grew, his thirst for bigger game followed suit. Getting away with Nadia was one thing, getting into bed with one of the most obnoxiously straight boys at his school was a new level. Considering that he and Casey were on again, he thought of it as more of a bonus than a hurdle. Contrary to popular belief, he’d only had that one threesome with Mikey and Sinny. The Brightman twins moved away before Julian was out. He needed to expand his horizons.

Being on the cheer squad with Casey had its advantages. Derek picked her up all the time after practice. That was an easy entrance through the front door. While Julian had prime choices for the picking throughout the squad, he had his sights set.

Soon enough, after a few nights standing outside Derek’s house (the security cameras and alarm system was just added spice to this meal), feeling Derek dream of him, he could see Derek’s eyes linger. One second was all Julian needed, really. Casey could do some of the lifting for him. 

* * *

 

There were other male cheerleaders on the squad, Derek wasn’t sure why Julian Larson had to be different. 

Objectively speaking, he was attractive. His face was symmetrical. Just the right amount of fat. He wasn’t a weirdo. He could do the necessary lifts in their routine without wavering. When he bent over, Derek just wanted to slam into him. His lips were a perfect plump and pink. Once, Derek saw him eat a lollipop while picking up Casey and he had lost himself in the motion. 

But he wasn’t exceptional. Not in the slightest. He was just another hot guy. Derek should be allowed to think Julian was attractive without it being gay. Casey did it all the time with the girls. 

For some reason, Derek couldn’t get Julian out of his head. It wasn’t like he was dreaming about him all the time. Sometimes, he did. Nothing too out of control. Most of the dreams involved Julian dancing or them drinking shots of tequila together. It was normal stuff. They drank together in a few parties. He could brush these off as memories. 

Derek didn’t remember a time when he stared at Julian’s lips going around a lime or when paid too much attention to how Julian’s throat bobbed as the shot went down his throat. He would wake up, hot and confused, with cock straining against his underwear the tiniest bit. The dreams left him quick. All that remained was the persuading curve of Julian’s lips and a tingle under his skin. 

He took cold showers. His imagination would betray him with thoughts of a damp Julian’s exposed bottom. He turned the temperature to as long as it could go. 

He was just curious. A few guys have had sex with him and said that his ass was spectacular. Derek couldn’t help but wonder. It was normal for the brain to think about possibilities. It didn’t have to mean Derek was going to act on them. He was straight. He had a girlfriend. His mind was simply wondering too much.

It wasn’t until one night when Casey and Derek had sex that his curiosity got the better of him. 

“Our anniversary’s coming up,” Casey said as she situated herself on Derek’s chest. 

Derek snorted. “Which one?” 

She twisted his nipple and he yowled before turning it into a laugh. Casey echoed him. “The real one. We should do something fun.” 

“What? Multiple orgasms isn’t fun anymore?” Derek asked. Casey threatened to pinch him and he shied away. “Alright, alright. Jesus. Okay, what kind of fun do you want to do?” Derek found it best to ask her instead of suggesting. She already had an activity in mind. Whatever it was, Derek was going to go with it to find peace. 

“A threesome,” she said. 

Derek’s mind went to Julian first, then he rearranged his thoughts to what he should be picturing. A girl. Any girl. There were plenty of them Casey was friends with. “Oh really?”

“Yeah, but with another guy.” 

Derek gulped. Julian had a girlfriend. “Anyone in mind?” 

“That easy?” Casey raised her brows at him. 

He shrugged. “Like you said. We should do something fun. It could be kinda hot. I would prefer having another girl but... you suggested it first. Maybe you can make it up to me next time.” 

Casey made an amused sound behind her lips before easing towards Derek’s. Derek sighed into the kiss, running his fingers through Casey’s hair and down her bare back. Her chest pressed into his and he reveled in that. This was normal to him. This was what he should be thinking about. Casey. Really just Casey. 

“Don’t push your luck, stud.” She whispered as they parted. 

“Oh I’m pushing my luck?” Derek retorted. 

“Yes,” Casey said. Her voice was loaded with all the ammunition his past mistakes had landed her. He could see how close she was to the trigger in the playful narrowing of her eyes. Derek conceded. 

Derek sighed. “Anyone in mind?” 

“At first I thought Julian,” Derek stiffened, “but him and Katherine have that thing so I’m not gonna touch that. It has to be someone we both like.” 

“What do you mean?” Derek asked too fast. 

Casey laughed at him. “Just when I thought it was hard to emasculate you with a dick like yours.” Derek huffed. “Don’t pout. It’s unbecoming,” she teased. “I just meant that I don’t want to fuck anyone you hate or hates you, so we can avoid any problems.” 

* * *

 

Casey wanted to tell Derek that she’d suggested the threesome on the off-chance that Julian and Katherine would crash and burn before they had to make do. Luck was on their side, three days shy of their anniversary. She walked into the girls’ bathroom in time to hear Katherine cry in a stall. Casey stamped her glee when she heard Katherine’s story. By that time, they had a whole group in the bathroom. Casey had no time for pettiness. Katherine was hurting, so soon after Nadia’s passing. 

Murder, she reminded herself. She shouldn’t be euphemizing this sort of issue. Besides, it kept her in check. She shouldn’t go for Katherine’s now-ex right after the fact. That would be a grievous offense, despite them not being all that close. She believed they’d be back together by the end of the week anyway. Casey’d been there, done that. A power couple like Katherine Rivers and Julian Larson wasn’t going to die so easily. They at least had half a college school year. As much as Casey tried to leave Derek behind, it was too familiar. And he was just a tad irresistible. 

Casey mentioned this to Derek while they were getting ready to go to the Hughes’ with Logan. He couldn’t get his words out in time. At first Casey thought he was just being a dumb jock. His academics were stellar but his emotional intelligence took some work. (He was better these days.) But she was starting to think he was getting a bit of a confused crush on Julian. She didn’t blame him, Julian was gorgeous. 

Normally, Casey would be up Derek’s ass, teasing him about it, but Casey wanted a threesome with another guy. Bringing it up would cause Derek to curl up into his No-Homo Shell. Then an argument. Then another break-up. Casey needed a breather from the drama. The school year was almost ending. She didn’t want to have to go through another emotional rollercoaster before yet another prom. 

* * *

 

Casey was already drunk when Julian arrived with Reed. She spotted him while she and Derek danced in the makeshift club in a darkened corner of the Hughes’ house. Derek’s grip on her waist tightened. She looked up to see him see Julian too. She turned to him, draping her arms on his shoulders. 

“See something you like?” Casey glanced over her shoulder again. Julian was taking two shots. Derek grunted. She pressed her lips on Derek’s neck and his breath hitched. “It’s alright. You know he’s my first choice too. Heard he was great at giving head for both sides.” Casey laughed at the horrified face Derek put on and decided not to press that button too many times. 

“They just broke up,” Derek reminded.

“Yeah, I know.” 

They were still on the prowl but for some reason, Casey’s mind always went back to Julian. She’d resigned herself, a while back when she first suggested it, that Julian was off-limits. The pull he had on her tonight was intense, like they had a short bungee cord tethered to both of them. She supposed it was the alcohol. She supposed she shouldn’t be drinking more. Then some girls on the cheer squad offered this brand new drink they made up on the spot and Casey couldn’t refuse. Julian sidled over and tried the drink himself. Their eyes connected. He smiled over his cup. Casey was already warm and flushed from the alcohol. The blood rushed south. She remembered thinking about Julian the other night, how his tongue would compare to Derek’s. And the night before that. And before. She didn’t like to admit she’d been thinking about other boys for at least a month while being with Derek.

“Bottom’s up,” he dared. 

“You’re on, Larson.” 

By the time Casey knocked out the drink, her world tipped to the left. Julian caught her. They both stumbled but Julian managed to yank her upright against him. He was searing. Casey could feel the full expanse of his lean body even through two layers of clothing. “Are you okay?” He asked. His lashes fluttered as his gaze travelled. 

“Yeah,” she mumbled. “Yeah! That was wild. Let’s have Derek drink this.” 

With another awful cocktail of drinks in one hand, and with Derek and Julian chugging theirs in front of her, Casey sighed and thought,  _ Sorry Katherine _ , before downing her drink as well. 

* * *

 

They were breathless when Julian was done with them. Even in his weakened state, he could still tempt the opposed and pull the best orgasms they could manage. They would be thinking about it for the rest of their lives. It would be brief enough that they wouldn’t be in danger of forgetting how Julian first left them.

Derek and Casey took their turns kissing him with a spattering of laughter in between. He could smell their bliss right under their faces, under the alcohol. His stomach yearned for their essence. But he had to remember the faces of those who saw them last. He thought of the security cameras the Seigersons put up. Unlike Nadia, he couldn’t fade into the snow in the dead of night as a walking nightmare. 

He sighed into the kiss with Casey, purposefully. His touch turned tender when he ran it down her face then neck then back. He pressed them closer until Derek pawed for his attention. He forced himself rigid. He let Derek kiss him, just because it felt nice, then he pushed himself up. 

“Jules?” 

“What’s wrong?” 

“I’m sorry,” Julian stammered. He took a breath then shook it out of him. Casey touched his shoulder and he went stiff again. “I’m sorry. I just...where can I get some water…” He croaked. Derek gave him dazed and half-drunk directions. Julian slid out of the bed and put on his underwear. He rushed out the room to the direction of the water he wasn’t going to drink. He’d done enough puking for the night. 

He counted four security cameras from Derek’s room to the kitchen. He went through the motions of drinking water, complete with props. He leaned on the sink where he put his dry cup. He stood there for a moment, looking out at the still pool and hot tub. If he strained, he could see a trail in the dark. And five more cameras. He’d been paying Derek enough visits to know the blind spots. There weren’t many, but they were enough for him. 

Julian maintained his admittedly flimsy hold on the couple a hallway away. He tightened his grip as much as he could. This was the only way he could follow through with this. If they remained in that afterglow. If they remained susceptible to his smile and his hands. He felt their desire reignite the same time his knees weakened. Catching his breath was a little harder and the cold started to bother him again. With clenched fists and his hungry will, Julian turned to the fridge again, taking out a bottle of Zinfandel. 

Casey was on top of Derek again when he came back. They were lost in each other until Julian knelt into the bed behind Casey. He dragged his lips up her spine. He put the wine down. “Thought we needed just a bit more to get through the night,” he said as Casey left Derek’s lips and press her back to Julian’s torso. Derek’s eyes fluttered. His hands trailed up her hips to her breasts. 

Casey shivered when Julian ran one hand to where Derek and Casey touched and the other on top of Derek’s, joining him in kneading her softly. “You’re hands are cold,” she said. 

“I was looking for the good wine,” he replied with his lips on her neck. “It’ll warm us all up.” He shot his gaze to Derek. It killed any sort of negative or hesitant response from him. 

* * *

 

This was a dream. If it weren’t one, Derek couldn’t fathom looking at himself in the mirror and telling himself, with great conviction, he was straight. If it weren’t one, he couldn’t go on knowing how Julian felt on his skin. Casey was there, at least. He wasn’t gay. Not that there was anything wrong with that but he’d live his life as a straight boy. This not only pulled the rug from under him but it also bludgeoned him over and over in every direction he could think of. (And he fucked Julian in each of those directions while Casey got eaten out.) 

This had to be a dream. Derek’s sex life was amazing but it was never as heavenly as this. He thought he knew what being spent was, then he had both Julian and Casey ride him in quick succession. Drunk, no less. His soul was on a different plane of existence. It was the most lucid of dreams. It was nothing and everything. Sensations that didn’t and shouldn’t make sense to him. Motions that weren’t coming from himself, just the bodies around him. The threesome had happened, but Derek only believed it happened once and without him and Julian touching. Everything else was the same blur of pleasure that colored his dreams. 

“Let’s go outside,” Julian said. “I want to go into the hot tub. You know you want to.” His cool hands ran down Derek’s chest. His lips worried an already sensitive spot behind his ear. 

“Oh, that would be fun,” Casey agreed on his other side. She pressed a long, sloppy kiss on his mouth. This was a dream. Casey never liked going to the hot tub so late at night. “Remember last Spring?” She whispered. Derek remembered. 

“You have to give me a demonstration of that,” Julian begged and he drew Casey into a kiss of their own. Derek could see every motion of their silhouettes. He couldn’t say no. 

This had to be a dream. Derek found himself turning on the hot tub in the next moment. He had little recollection of putting on some clothes to brave the cold, barely-there spring morning. Casey was lounging by the pool, fingers trailing the surfaces. She had his shirt on and panties and nothing more. Derek loved seeing her in just that. He couldn’t wait to bring her in for one last dream to savor. Julian wasn’t there. It was his moment to remind himself who he was. 

The jets were on. The water was warming up. He took his shirt off and it had to be a

dream.  He was still hot in places Julian and Casey touched. He stepped toward one of the poolside tables under an umbrella to leave his shirt there. 

“Is it ready?” Derek froze at the sound of Julian’s voice. Then melted when fingers touched his jaw. He met Julian’s eyes. Their lips met for a moment and Derek sought it when Julian pulled away. He was also wearing one of Derek’s shirts. It didn’t hang on his frame the same way it did on Casey but Derek’s eyes stayed on him when he stripped it off. 

“Is it ready?” Derek turned to Casey, head lolled towards the bubbling water. 

“Yeah, um—” He whirled towards Julian. He wasn’t there. He wasn’t anywhere. Derek turned on some of the lights but he couldn’t find any evidence of Julian. Before he could continue as if nothing was amiss, he noticed a discarded shirt near the woods outside his house. There was a flash behind one of the trees. Two eyes at first glance but Derek couldn’t be sure. 

This had to be a dream. He would’ve noticed when Casey stood up and walked to the treeline instead of realizing it when she was peeking into the darkness. “Have you seen Julian?” She asked. 

There was nothing more sobering and jarring than almost being part of a DUI incident. Derek sore right then, breath shaking in tandem with his hands, that he would never do it ever again. 

Then he saw Casey being dragged into the woods by her hair, screaming. And it got louder the farther she went. 

Derek found his balance, his strength, and his wits. He grabbed a baseball bat they kept leaning on the house for occasions such as these. This wasn’t a dream. The fallen foliage and sharp stones stung with each step. His face was hot and cold at the same time. Exertion and fear. He called for Casey and Julian until his throat protested. Even then, he continued. The ambient noise closed in on him. It pointed in too many directions. Casey had stopped screaming. 

The alcohol pooled in his stomach then jumped. He stumbled into a tree to puke. When he was done, he leaned on the tree opposite it. One long inhale confirmed this was happening. There was no idea of a spit-damp pillow on his face. There was no debilitating darkness. There was no weight on his body keeping him prone until he pulled himself out of its sleepy clutches. This was no dream. This was no nightmare either. This was far worse. 

A pebble hit him on the shoulder. He whirled, fighting back the queasy feeling in his stomach, holding up the bat. Someone chuckled. The trees weren’t thick enough to hide a body so they couldn’t have been standing still behind one. Another sound, a whimper, followed by a short cry of pain cut too soon had him running again. It was deeper into the woods. Just before he hit the road. He tried again, calling for his companions.

After a few minutes, Derek didn’t bother to call out or tried any macho words. He knew when he was outmatched. All he wanted was Casey and Julian to be safe. If they were, he was going to live a long and sober life. He found Casey’s bracelet on the ground and that long life shortened before his eyes. It was time to find real help. 

The morning’s chill needled deep into his skin. His hair stood erect. He was being watched. Every time he looked over his shoulder or turned to the direction he thought it originated, nothing was there. Not even an animal. Not even a weird looking tree. A presence followed him as he made his way back home. It grew warm. Like whatever it was could be right on his shoulder if he were quick enough to catch it. He never was. He fought the urge to keep turning whenever he felt warmth. He was wasting time. He needed to call the authorities. 

Another pebble hit him. He turned and was met with a breeze. No laughter this time. Just invisible eyes coming from too many directions to be possible. A twig snapped. Derek ran. 

Just as he could see his house through the trees, something dropped in front of him. He tripped over something soft and smooth. He’d tumbled enough times to know how to catch himself. He was sure there were cuts up his arms and legs, but his priority was the baseball bat. He went up his knees and brandished it. Instead of an assailant, he saw Casey staring at him. He stared back at the hole where her heart was supposed to be. 

He scrambled, screaming. When he turned, he got a face full of hard flesh. Julian stood tall and unbothered by his momentum. Blood dripped on his chin and hands. He sucked on each of his five fingers on the left hand like one would after devouring a bag of Cheetos. Derek couldn’t comprehend what he saw, let alone how to breathe. 

“Looks like you dropped something,” Julian grinned. Then pounced. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pun City  
> Population: Me


	11. So a Band Walked Into a Bar

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Logan forces Julian to tell the truth.

Reed gave Julian and Katherine their privacy. He was going to hear all about it when Julian came back in the kitchen. 

The clouds parted for the sun. One of its beams fell right on the square of their table where Julian had left most of his coffee and ramen untouched. Reed couldn’t imagine him stomaching anything after the last night. Trying to keep it down was important. He stood to put a blanket on the couch. As much as he loved lying in the sun, a hangover bad enough to make him avoid coffee warranted a nap in area of the house farthest from the sun. Reed would bring him upstairs but dragging Julian up the porch was way more effort than Reed and Katherine expected. More than five steps would be a disaster. 

Reed couldn’t help but glance out the window as Katherine and Julian hugged. He hurried back to his seat, only almost tripping into the table. Julian closed the door with a loud sigh. “If you wanna lie down, the couch is ready,” he announced. He could stay the day. He already told Dolce via text that Julian was safe and sound at the Van Kamps, as usual.

Julian grunted in response and walked into the kitchen, rubbing his face with both hands. He threw himself back on his chair and slammed his head onto his crossed arms on the table. Utensils rattled, then everything stilled. Reed chewed on a PopTart. 

“Your coffee is getting cold,” he said. Julian moaned. “At least eat some ramen.” 

“I’ll just puke it out anyway,” he replied. 

“Better than puking bile,” he retorted. 

Julian sighed and yanked himself up to an upright position. He played with the noodles then sipped at his coffee. When their eyes met, Reed was stunned. Under the glow of the sunlight, Julian’s eyes shimmered with an energy that had been missing the last couple of weeks. There were no dark circles under his eyes that were warranted after the night he had. Even his hair, in complete disarray, looked like it was being prepared for a shampoo commercial that promised the perfect hair day. His lips weren’t a pale pink but a vivid red. He had a healthy blush to him. Reed looked at his food. Both the cup and the bowl were almost full. Julian had only scraped the surface of them. Despite having puked just minutes before he and Katherine stepped out, Julian looked as well as he’d ever been. 

Reed nodded at Julian’s rundown of their conversation. He could hear the melancholic wistfulness in his voice as he spoke about the ending relationship. He could hear his gripes about being found drunk at the Willises. He could hear the apologies of abandonment. Reed ate his PopTart and did his best to pay attention to his words. His mind kept circling back to his new veneer of perfect health. He used words and gestures of someone hungover. He didn’t look the part. He doubted one bathroom break could make this happen. 

Julian snapped across his face. “Hey, you’re spacing out,” he said. 

Reed shook his head. “Sorry. I—I just—was thinking” He wasn’t sure what he just thinking, let alone what he was seeing. It didn’t add up. It was like he was seeing Julian for the first time. “I haven’t slept well,” Reed ended. 

Julian appraised his statement. Reed thought he was going to have to lie more, then he was going to be caught, then he was going to explain himself. He shoved the PopTart in his mouth. Julian smiled and reached for Reed’s hand. “Nightmares again?” Reed nodded. There were nightmares but they didn’t explain Julian too much. “Well, I guess we both need some sleep. How about you go upstairs and rest? I’ll finish up here.”

He just wasn’t paying attention. That had got to be it. Julian was sick for a couple of days, got drunk, then got better after he puked it out. Julian was beautiful. Always was. After all-nighters, and parties, and fights, they spat out Julian like the shiny nugget of diamond that he was. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that he looked like that under the perfect sunbeam on a perfect sunny day. 

Reed pulled his sheets over his body. He stared at the ceiling. He was lying to himself and he wasn’t sure what for. 

* * *

 

Monday mornings brought the worst in people. Reed expected as much from honor roll students to the self-proclaimed bums of the school. He kept his head down and out of anyone’s way. Sometimes he hit them and he tripped. The ones who knew Reed for longer didn’t make a sound and left him on the floor. The ones who didn’t said the same mean things that Reed stopped being too bothered by them. These days Shane was there to pick him up and give him a little kiss on the cheek to brighten him up. 

Nothing prepared him for Logan Wright barrelling towards him, Shane, and Julian, red in the face. “Hey Larson!” He raised a fist. Reed moved to get between them but Shane pulled him back. 

Nothing prepared him for Julian catching Logan’s fist like it was a baseball. Logan seemed just as surprised. “Woah there. What’s got your dick in a twist this time?” Julian had been in a handful of fights over the years. Most of them either defending himself or Reed. Julian was more reliant on his agility than his strength. He was strong by all accounts but Logan was taller, broader, and angrier than Julian was. He pushed Logan back and he staggered a few steps backward. Julian raised an eyebrow. 

“You killed them!” Logan barrelled to him again. Shane dragged Reed away from the lockers as if the impact would cause them to fall on top of him. Instead Julian grappled with Logan without moving an inch. Logan slammed his elbow on Julian’s back. Julian didn’t buckle. Without much of a grunt, he lifted Logan off the ground and threw him to the lockers. 

“Killed who?!” 

Logan glared at him as he pulled himself up. “Derek and Casey! They’re dead! I know you did it!” Reed’s heart sank. The student body watching the scene lit up, buzzing with the morose news. His eye caught a girl’s, who was standing a few steps away from the crowd. He’d never seen her in this school, but he saw her at that party. 

Julian looked appropriately shocked. “They’re—what?” 

“Oh fuck you, like you don’t know!” Logan threw himself at Julian. Spencer and Sydney pushed through the line of students and each grabbed him by the arms. They strained in a way Julian hadn’t. Still, Shane moved in front of Julian. It would’ve been a sweet moment but Reed was too busy reeling from what he’d seen and heard in the last minute. 

“Logan, I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Julian said. “I didn’t do anything with Derek and Casey. Except...You know. I wasn’t exactly in the state to kill anyone that night.” Then in mutter, he added, “Except myself.” Shane hushed him. 

“Get off of me!” Logan wailed, red in the face. 

“No,” Sydney said. “You need to be somewhere to calm down. Seriously, Logan! Julian? Of all the people, you accuse Julian? Get a grip.” 

“Don’t tell me what to fucking do.” Logan wrenched himself out of Spencer and Sydney’s grip then cast one last glare at Julian before storming off. Julian’s confusion didn’t break. The girl Reed saw earlier ran after him. Spencer dispersed the crowd. Shane was checking on Julian while Reed brought himself out of his head. 

“I didn’t know they were dead.” Julian leaned on his locker and pinched the bridge of his nose. “They were fine, when I left them...you know.” He gestured to Reed. He nodded. “Derek saw me out. Gave me the code and shit so I don’t set off the alarm. It would’ve gone crazy if I hadn’t closed the door behind me, right? Like, it would go off?” 

“It should’ve,” Shane said. 

“Did you see anything? When you left, did you see anything?” Reed looked up at Julian. 

He shook his head. “I was still really drunk. I couldn’t....God, if the police ask me, I’m fucked.” 

“Just say you were walking home and you didn’t notice anything,” Shane suggested. “It was dark. You don’t have to be drunk.” 

Julian chuckled. “Have you done this before?” 

Shane shoved him lightly then took it back the same way he did whenever Reed got hurt. “Oh my god, I’m so sorry. I forgot—” 

“Nah, I’m fine. Don’t worry about it. He didn’t hit me that hard.” Shane took his word for it. Reed remembered this one time Logan ran into him and he sprained his arm in the tumble. Logan hadn’t meant to do that. The way he ran at Julian was the opposite. Logan did his best to hurt him. Reed glanced at Julian’s hand. He was gesticulating through how he couldn’t believe Casey and Derek were dead. It looked like it didn’t hit anything. The only time he’d seen anyone catch a punch like that was in the movies. And that one time Sydney blew off a creep trying to ask her to prom. 

Julian put an arm around his shoulders and shook him. “Hey, you okay?” He chuckled. “Why do you look like the one Logan was aiming for, not me?” That was a good question. Julian didn’t look as shaken as he should be. 

“I’m sorry. It was just...too much in one go. Derek and Casey...We just saw them...” Reed answered. Julian accepted it and a short hug. 

“I’m glad you didn’t go off accusing you too,” Julian said. 

“Thinking about that makes me want to rip him in half,” Shane grumbled. 

Julian laughed and pushed Shane as they walked to class. “I appreciate the knight in shining armor moves today, Curly Fries, but Logan Wright would snap you like the twig.” 

“Ah, not if he can’t catch me,” Shane said. 

Julian sighed. “I’m having too much fun with you. I need to leave before I actually end up having an emotional connection to a mutt like you.” He pressed a kiss on top of Reed’s head. “You can talk to the counselor if you need. He’s been helpful with Katherine.” Then left for his classroom. Shane took Reed’s hand and walked a different way. 

News of Derek and Casey’s deaths spread through the school. Julian was brought in for questioning again but they didn’t keep him long. Apparently, there was video evidence of Julian leaving the house while the two were still out and about. Reed saw the Lamberts and the Seigersons as Julian came out of the principal’s office during lunch. Not a dry eye in sight. Reed didn’t see Amanda but he wouldn’t be able to stomach seeing her anguish as well. 

Logan’s dad and stepmom arrived later in the day. Logan hadn’t made any more attempts on Julian since the morning but he wasn’t in any of his classes either. 

Outside, it was sunny as ever, even when students came out drained of excitement for the afternoon. Everywhere Reed went, it was a funeral. Not so much for Derek and Casey only—they were well-liked, though not by all. It was more of a funeral for everyone. Until this killer was caught, they knew this was going to keep happening. Being unable to stop any of this blanketed the entire town. He could see the hopelessness in the parents picking up their kids and in the police that searched the horizon for threats that eluded them for months. 

Reed waited outside the gym where Julian and the other cheerleaders were having a group counselling session. He was invited in, of course, but Reed declined. He didn’t know Casey, or Derek. It would be inappropriate. And he couldn’t look at Julian without questioning everything he said. 

It was only him and Shane out here. They all agreed to go home together to keep their parents’ peace of mind. Reed doubted anything was going to attack them in broad daylight anyway. They were both quiet. Shane was practicing a dance routine for the school musical they were still putting up. For the art, he said. Reed was free to rifle through his tangled thoughts, trying to make sense of the last few months as well. Julian’s moods. The nightmares. The random cravings.His glow. All of them coinciding with the killings. Whenever he thought it was too real, he turned to Shane and practiced what he would say and decided against it every time. 

“Do you ever notice how Julian’s in a bad mood and looks awful then when someone dies he looks great again?” He sounded crazy. That sounded crazier than him being the killer and was just dissociating at night to do it. Julian as the killer didn’t make any sense at all. How did he get into Nadia’s house and back to Katherine’s? Where could he have possibly hidden Adam’s? How did he rip Tabitha or Dwight to shreds? And how could he have killed Derek and Casey when he was shown leaving the house while they were still alive? Nothing was adding up. All he had were coincidences and a gut feeling. 

“I’m going to go to the bathroom,” Reed announced. He was sleep deprived. His nightmares came back in full force. Sleeping was more of a chore the last weekend. Casey and Derek’s faces floated in his mind then he shuffled them away. He was just thinking about them because they’ve been in every conversation the whole day. It didn’t mean anything. 

He rubbed water on his face, forcing himself to think of something else. That art project. What he was wearing to prom. His calculus homework. There were more things to worry about than thinking his best friend was somehow the serial killer told him that was the wrong direction. 

“Reed,” Reed jumped away from the mirror and to the corner when he saw Logan at the door. 

“I don’t know anything about Derek and Casey!” Logan only sighed. His eyes were rimmed red. His hair wasn’t in its usual place. His posture was slumped low. 

“But you know about Julian,” Logan said 

“Julian’s—”

“Not the killer, so I’ve been told.” He walked to the wall Reed was pressing himself to and leaned on it himself. “I know I sound crazy. Only one other person is on my side and she sounds just as crazy if I put myself out of my shoes. I thought she was too. Then this morning happened…” Reed’s stomach clenched. He hugged his bag. “You saw it, right? He was stronger than me. Not a lot of people are.” 

Reed licked his lips. “He is a cheerleader,” he said weakly. This was what he’d been telling himself whenever he replayed the scene. 

“I’m not here to argue with you.” Logan rummaged in his pocket and pulled a folded piece of paper. “That’s the phone number of my source. The one who turned me on to Julian in the first place. She got to me before the cops showed up to question me. If you see anything weird, tell her. Please.” Reed took it and put it in his bag. Mostly because he was afraid of Logan. 

He nodded then sighed again. “I don’t want to believe it either, but it made the most sense. I’ve watched him for the last few months. You know I’m always...I’ve...Nevermind. The coincidences are too much. He looks worse for wear, someone dies, then he’s brand new. Same thing happened now. You remember what he looked like before the party and then after the party. You have to. Tell me that isn’t suspicious.” 

Reed said nothing. He wondered if he fell asleep when he got to the bathroom and this was an elaborate nightmare. His crazy shouldn’t be infectious.

“I hope you’re not in on it,” Logan said. Before Reed could leave to go vomit elsewhere, the door opened and Shane was there with Julian. 

“What the hell did you do to him?!” Shane stomped toward Logan. 

“Nothing. We just talked,” Logan brushed past Shane, glared at Julian, then exited. 

Shane held Reed’s face as if to bring him into a kiss. Instead, Shane turned his head to check for injuries. “I’m fine, I’m fine,” he mumbled. “Let’s just go.” 

“What happened?” Julian asked. 

“Like he said, we just talked,” Reed replied. “He’s-He’s just sad. He was crying in one of the stalls.” Julian looked over his shoulder to where Logan walked away. Reed felt a dangerous, hungry twist in his stomach. He didn’t think he could be hungry after how this day went. “Let’s just go. It doesn’t matter. He’s hurting.” He tugged on Julian’s wrist. Julian stared at him the same way Logan did. Knowingly. 

“Alright,” he said. Reed knew it wasn’t. He saw it in Shane too, with his jaw set as he glanced to the direction Logan left and held Reed against him like he was going to fall apart if not. Reed appreciated that they weren’t interrogating him but he wished he could talk to Logan again. If only just to feel like he wasn’t going completely insane. 

* * *

 

Logan’s presence and words gnawed at him. It was a catchy summer song on repeat. He was a ghost around school haunting him. Reed’s retreat caused more concern from Shane and Julian that they threatened to talk to Logan about what he’d said but Reed insisted that he was more bothered that Derek and Casey died so soon after Nadia and nothing that Logan did. 

Reed was never the greatest liar. Julian and Shane were better at knowing when to give Reed his space. 

By the end of the week, Reed couldn’t fight it back with any sort of logic. He’d invited Julian over for dinner and homework. He noted that Julian didn’t eat much of anything, if at all. He talked his way through dinner. Reed’s mood barred him from conversation long enough to pay attention. 

Reed closed the door as Julian lounged on his bed, pulling out his homework. He didn’t realize how long he was standing there working up the nerve to bring it up when Julian said his name. Julian moved their bags off the bed. He patted the space beside him like it wasn’t Reed’s bed. Reed sat. 

“Ready to talk?” 

Reed chewed on his lips. “I’m going to sound crazy.” 

“Humor me, please.” 

Reed went into what Logan said first, leaving out the source Logan mentioned. Details in crazy notions weren’t too important. Then he mentioned his nightmares and the coincidences and this weird feeling in his chest that begged him to believe. Reed didn’t trust the straight face Julian had on. He’d seen him keep his composure through many things for too many times not to gauge his reaction in the midst of his rant as a raving lunatic. 

He ended it all by saying, “This is crazy. I don’t know what I’m talking about. Logan’s crazy, right?” 

Julian crossed his legs under him and shifted so his whole body faced Reed. He held Reed’s hands. Reed didn’t like where this was going. 

“I hope you’ll humor me too,” Julian said carefully. Reed nodded after a beat. “I died that night when Jake took me to the woods.” Reed made a sound that wasn’t quite a gasp or a sigh or a gag. There were just no words. Just his racing heartbeats. 

When Reed didn’t stop him, Julian continued, “Okay. They drove me away and I was still pretty high at the time so I didn’t pay attention where we were going. I thought Jake and I were going to have sex. Just the two of us. I thought they’d bring me to their little motel room and he’d sexile his bandmates and we’d have some fun. Then lean up to complain about the length of the journey when I realized we were in the woods. You know that trail where everyone’s parents scare kids from going to because it’s dangerous and there are rockslides? The one they tell us ghosts of dead hikers go to? We were on that one. It took me a minute to realize this. When I did, I was still high and I knew I couldn’t fight back.

“So I asked, ‘Where are we going?’ Jake just looks at me and doesn’t say anything. I look at the other guys in the band and they’re not looking at me. At this point, I’m scared. My mind goes straight to ‘Oh no, they’re going to gang rape me and then murder me,’ which ended up being half true. A couple of the guys seemed nice enough so I thought I could get out of it if I tried to ask nicely to take me home. That it’s not all too far from the trail. And I even apologized that I wasn’t helpful. I remember them hesitating, just a little bit. They were looking to Jake for instructions. The guy up front. What’s-his-name. Clay or Robin. Or whoever, I don’t care. He asks me, ‘Are you a virgin?’ Me, still kinda high but desperate, said yes because I thought if they thought I wasn’t sexually adept that they wouldn’t want me. So I drill into it, ‘I won’t be a good time. I only took the drugs because I thought Jake and I were going to fuck and I didn’t want to lose my nerve. It’s embarrassing that my best friend isn’t a virgin anymore and he looks like that while I am.’ No offense, by the way. I was trying to survive.

“Jake smiled at the guy sitting with him. I remember feeling everything inside me dropping to the bottom of my body and trying to get out. So I kept trying to play with their heartstrings. I asked them to let me go. I cried. And crying is easy when you think you’re about to get raped and die. Jake asked one of them to hit me over the head and one of them did. Next thing I knew, I was being carried. Tied up. Gagged. I remember thinking that if they asked, I would’ve done it. Like none of them are bad to look at. I would’ve said yes. But they had to drug me then drag me to the woods and tie me up.

“When I came to next, I was tied to a rock. We were by the falls. The one where everyone said witches went in the olden times to pray to Satan. The one where we went to one time without permission and nothing happened. That one. And they were arguing. I saw them still in clothes, none of them hard. I was still in my clothes. Something was definitely wrong and I began crying. I began praying again. I didn’t want to die. 

“One of them was getting guilty but Jake bullied him and urged the others to convince him that this was a good idea. They asked him if he wanted to be famous and he said yes. They said that this was the only way. I was beside myself. Like, I couldn’t believe I was going to die in the hands of a band of loons.

“They went back to me when everyone was in agreement. I thought they were going to give me my last words. I was ready to tell them I wasn’t a virgin. That it was going to fuck up their spell or sacrifice or whatever. But they didn’t let me. Jake recited a spell. They were chanting something in Latin. What more could you expect, honestly? And he stabbed me. Six times. Here,” he pointed to his bellybutton, then moved to the left, “here,” to the right, “here.” He pointed to two more spaces above the first three,” Here, and here. Then, right here,” he pointed to his heart. 

“Hurt like hell for about two minutes and I began to bleed out. Next thing I know I was walking and starving. I had no idea where I was for a second. I was hollowed out. Tired. Then I was at your house. You remember how that went.

“By the time I left your house, I was still hungry. It wasn’t like the munchies kind of hungry but like crash diet hungry. It was like I’d been walking in a desert for the last month. Then I found that guy from middle school. Thomas.”

“Dwight,” Reed said. 

“Yeah...Dwight. Anyway, he was there and...I ate him.” 

“You…” Reed felt green. “What?” 

“I ate him. And it wasn’t my proudest moment, trust me. Then I felt better. Way, way better. It was like being pumped with adrenaline every day. I didn’t think much about it at first. I thought I had a pretty bad trip and Jake left me on the side of the road or something after they were done with me. You know how sometimes people’s heads make stuff up to cover a traumatic experience. I thought that was me. Then I realized I couldn’t eat or drink anything unless I wanted to puke weird black stuff. Fine. That I could live with. Then my strength began to wane. I was getting ugly both outside and inside. I wasn’t sure what to do. Then I thought back to Dwight and...it was easy to figure out from there.” 

“Jules...I don’t know what to say.” He really didn’t. It had to be another nightmare. Julian was messing with him. It happened from time to time and as much as Reed hated it, he relieved some stress before he went into the advice portion of their conversation. Julian waited. Reed waited. No punchline was coming. 

“You don’t believe me,” Julian said. 

“I don’t...I don’t know what’s happening.” 

“Well, if you need proof…” Julian turned to dig into his backpack and took out a lighter. He stuck his tongue out then lit it. The tip sizzled, turning black. When Julian pulled away, it slowly turned pink. He wiggled it then smiled. “See? Isn’t that cool? I’m indestructible when I’ve just fed. That’s not the only thing I can do. I’ve got more up my sleeve, especially when I have sex with them before I feed. I get more out of them. Like rolling a lime on the counter before cutting it.” 

“Feed?” 

“Yeah. That’s what we do when we want to survive. Feed. Eat. Drink. All that jazz. My diet’s just...changed is all.” 

“So, the nightmares...Were those…?” Reed gestured. 

“No. Not on purpose anyway.” Julian eased himself closer. “I wasn’t going to eat you. Or hurt you. I almost did but I won’t. I’m not a zombie,” he said like that was going to make things better. “I think it’s because I bled into your mouth, that first night. We’ve been connected since then. Don’t you feel it?” Julian reached over to touch Reed’s cheek. Something squirmed in Reed’s chest that he didn’t understand but was familiar with. “It’s right there. That little tug. I knew you were suspicious. It wasn’t until you said you were having nightmares those nightmares and thoughts about murder that I knew for sure.” 

Reed found himself drawing closer. “I’m not too sure how it works. I didn’t want to experiment with you until I could tell you. But imagine the possibilities if we hone this! You could be powerful. We won’t have to worry about you getting hurt. You could turn on Shane like you wouldn’t believe.” He laughed and put both hands on Reed’s cheeks. “No more nightmares. No more worrying about what I’m doing out of sight. You’ll be safe and sound.” 

The scent of Julian’s words pulled Reed’s lips to his. It was as sudden as this conversation. Reed closed his eyes, his world jumbling away outside. Julian’s hand moved to the back of his neck and pushed them back together. Reed sighed into the motion. Julian’s lips tasted nothing like Reed thought they would. From the way people spoke of his lips, it was like they would taste like his favorite meal or it opened his mind the secrets of the universe. Instead, they were just pleasant. The way it moved with Reed’s like they fit perfectly, no matter what angle they were in. He was so intent that Reed couldn’t imagine Julian thinking of anything other than kissing him. Like there was no one in the world that he’d rather kiss. 

Julian pulled away with a soft gasp then moved Reed’s lips open. His tongue slipped in with no resistance. He didn’t taste of dinner. He didn’t taste of viscera either. He tasted warm and sweet. Reed couldn’t pinpoint the flavor. He tasted great and he wanted more of him in his mouth. 

Reed put his arms around Julian’s shoulders. Julian eased them down to the bed. One hand ran down Reed’s side and slid under his shirt to rest on the base of his spine. Julian was hot. That heat touched every nerve and pierced his bones, softening them all. His legs parted for Julian’s hips. He squeezed Julian’s waist with his thighs. Julian hummed into their kiss when he ground into Reed. The rush of pleasure had Reed moaning. 

Julian chuckled. His lips moved from Reed’s lips to his pulse. Reed threaded his fingers through Julian’s hair. Julian bucked into him again, sucking on his skin. Before another wave of heat could bring him under, Reed put a hand on Julian’s chest. With a quick push Julian eased off of him. 

“We,” Reed let out a stuttered breathe, “We shouldn’t.” 

Julian kissed his nose. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what I can do sometimes.” He rolled off of Reed. 

He couldn’t wrap his head around everything he heard. It all made sense but he wasn’t able to stomach it. Julian, eating people. Julian, being behind all those murders. Julian, having powers Reed couldn’t begin to count. Julian, who was acting like he was just telling Reed that he liked both boys and girls. 

“I’ll leave,” Julian said, jumping off the bed. 

Reed sat up. “What?”

“I’m going to let you think it through. I don’t want to push for a full reaction.” Julian smiled. It was the same shy smile he gave when he first mentioned he had a crush on some guy in class. This wasn’t like that. Nothing like that at all. “You can text me if you have questions. I’ll be here.” Julian opened the window. “And Reed?” 

“Yeah?” 

“I’m still me. Apart from that specific way I keep myself alive, I’m still the same Julian. Okay? I won’t hurt you. I won’t hurt anyone who doesn’t deserve it, one way or the other. You’re still my best friend.” And with that, Julian launched himself out the window. 

“Julian!” Reed threw himself across the bed to the window. Julian was hovering outside it. “What?” 

“Just in case you need some more proof.” Julian winked and flew away. Reed sat on his floor. He cried. 


	12. Crushing on Logan Wright

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Logan goes for a drive.

Logan couldn’t sleep. Normally, he’d go for a walk but Michelle wouldn’t let him out of the house at night these days unless he was driving his dad’s Hummer. Johnny was badgered into letting him drive it. They’d fought when Logan first left the house amidst the murders to have a walk around the block. All three of them. He couldn’t wipe the look Michelle had when he came home. A mix of terror and rage. Johnny was all rage. 

It was a good compromise. He could blast his music without disturbing anyone and he’d be able to clear his head. He didn’t have to look at the same houses night after night. 

Logan cried when he went down the long stretch of road leading to the Seigersons. At a safer time, Derek and Logan would walk it. This was their thinking road. The road was far enough from anyone that they could laugh out loud, yell with frustration, and sing to their heart’s content without causing a disturbance. It was close enough that it wasn’t eerie when they strayed. There were way too many memories of the two of them here that Logan found it impossible not to leave their town when he graduated. This town was nothing but a Derek Void. It chipped away at his soul every day that passed and everwhere he went. Next to Michelle, Derek was the one good thing in his life. Even Michelle took time to warm up to. Derek was there for him the whole way through. Continuing without him was hell. 

He wasn’t confident if Sadie would go through with her promise to avenge them all. She lost her best friend too but if anything she said about Julian was true, it would be a long waiting game of careful planning. Two months, at least. And it would take a team. Logan wasn’t known for his optimism. Knowing that all they had was four young adults, including himself, and maybe one motivated preteen, it didn’t inspire him. 

He didn’t have much else to look forward to anyway. 

Just as he wiped his eyes, a shadow stepped into the road. He figured it was a deer that would spook as soon as its eyes met the headlights. He drove slowly. The lights showed something standing upright with their hands in their pockets. When he focused, he recognized that smirk. 

Logan’s heart jumped to his throat. He put the car on reverse and slammed on the accelerator. Julian followed him with a casual gait. With no other cars around, he turned it around so fast that the car jumped. Sadie told him what he could do at the height of his power. As hopeless as he was, just that small part that believed had him running for life. 

Tires squealed. The car’s weight struggled through the sudden need for speed. Still, he zoomed along the road, the meter pushing past every marker as fast as Logan willed it. If he could, he’d drive the pedal through the floor. 

Something slammed on Logan’s door, breaking the glass. The car swerved. Logan screamed. He tried to put the car back into a straight line but Julian’s hand took the wheel from him. “Hi.” Logan threw a punch but it ended up hurting him more than anything. “Try again.” Before Logan could even do so, Julian jerked the wheel and the car was flying straight into a tree. 

Logan came to, jaw aching, vision swimming. The sound of leaves and branches and rocks being dragged across the ground came before the sensation of being dragged by the collar. He groaned. A voice warbled behind him but he couldn’t quite make it out. When his vision came back to him, he was propped against a tree. Julian sat on his lap. The car wreck was a few yards away. 

“And there he is.” Julian held Logan’s face in both hands. “Oh I loved this face so much. You and I could’ve been something. If you only asked me out like a normal person instead of acting like you were already my boyfriend, we could’ve been what we’ve always wanted. Now we’re here.” He sighed. “We weren’t supposed to meet like this until much later.”  

“Julian,” Logan croaked. His arms were free to move but Logan couldn’t figure out how to use them just yet. 

Julian chuckled. “Yes, Logan?” 

“Why?” 

“I don’t think you’re the one who’s fit to ask the questions here.” Julian smiled then yanked Logan up by the hair. “How did you find out?” He growled. 

Logan ground his teeth against the pain and glared. Julian stared him down. There was no escape. Even if he managed to push Julian off of him and then sprint away, a herculean task on its own, he saw what happened to the Hummer. This was it for him. 

“I had the biggest crush on you. Right from middle school, you were the most beautiful boy I’ve ever had the pleasure to lay my eyes on. I held back because I thought you were straight. I got too excited when you weren’t.” 

Julian sank his fingers—talons now—into Logan’s shoulder. He whined. Pain rocketed through his joints. His head spun with dark spots in his vision. He remembered to breathe. “That won’t get you anywhere now.” 

“Let me finish,” Logan grunted. Blood dribbled down his arm. More with every thudding pulse. Julian maintained his grasp. “I watched you. All the time. I paid attention to you. When you were happy, when you were sad, who you were with, what you wore. It wasn’t hard to put together. It made sense. You were in a mood. You looked terrible—well, terrible for you—until someone died. Then you were back to your varnished beauty. At first, I didn’t think you could get any more irresistible then you did. And then more people our age died. You cycled. It all clicked when you held me back earlier this week. I know what you are.” 

“Spare me the  _ Twilight  _ reference.” Julian squeezed harder. Logan screamed when he felt him hit bone. Then he let go. Logan continued. Blood poured out of him. His skin begged to knit itself together. It throbbed as air entered what it shouldn’t. 

Julian tilted Logan’s face again. Their lips touched and for a moment Logan let himself have relief. Glee trickled down his chest. This was a kiss he’d been waiting years for. Any disgust he felt evaporated for a moment, whether due to Julian’s manipulation or delirium from the pain. For that span of time Julian’s lips, then tongue, were on him, he felt everything was normal. He didn’t even notice the viscous handprint Julian was leaving on his neck. 

The harsh, spikey reality shot through him when Julian pulled away. He pressed one last kiss on Logan’s lips. 

“I don’t want to do this,” he whispered. He  “Reed won’t like it and he’s important. I don’t want to die either…” As he spoke, Julian unbuttoned Logan’s shirt. With every button, he touched Logan’s skin, sending an unnatural spark of warmth down to his crotch. When it was all the way down, he led Logan’s hands to his ass. His arms protested. Blood dripped down his side. Logan remembered how many times he fantasized about Julian being on top of him like this. 

Julian unbuttoned his jeans. “What are you doing?” Logan shuddered when Julian dragged kisses across his jaw and ground into his hardening body. 

“I’m going to eat your soul,” Julian kissed his cheek, “and shit it out, Mr. Wright.” 


	13. Backbone Required

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reed finds out about Logan and he can't stomach it. Julian tries to talk to him. It doesn't end well.

When Hilde told Reed over breakfast that Logan Wright was found dead, Reed spared himself the details by going cold all over, forgetting how to breathe, then running to the kitchen sink to vomit. The world around him was drowned by what he knew and saw. He could tell his mom was trying to soothe him but it was like he was trapped by his own body. Images from his nightmares, from Julian’s confession, and his wink bombarded Reed. Words cut and pasted on top of one another. His mind flashed to the nightmares and if Julian actually did what he dreamed. Reed couldn’t stop crying. He wanted to claw his throat open so he could breathe before realizing he had no control over his limbs. It was cold, and hot, and wet. This went on for the whole day, it seemed. When Reed learned how to breathe again, it was like waking up for sleep paralysis. It’d barely been ten minutes. 

He couldn’t go to school. He couldn’t see Logan’s parents knowing what he knew. He couldn’t listen to people talk about Logan knowing what he knew. He couldn’t look at Julian. The thought of Julian made his lungs seize. 

Hilde allowed him. He turned his phone off. Reed was sure Hilde would be able to explain enough. 

He was told to rest. He found none. He tossed and turn under the diffused daylight with nightmares that wouldn’t leave him alone. Julian did it. Julian killed Logan. Julian killed everyone. Reed told Julian what Logan told him and he died. Reed should’ve kept his mouth shut. 

Reed looked through his bag and found the phone number Logan gave him. He didn’t know who was going to be waiting on the other line. He didn’t know what they could do. He listened to the local radio. They said that Logan was found with his door smashed and his body cleaved open. Julian was indestructible. He was powerful. There was nothing to do. 

At some point, Reed exhausted himself with his panic and anger. He woke up hungry. And he hated it. He shouldn’t be hungry because clearly Julian wasn’t anymore. Nothing about this was natural or comfortable or good. 

He was in a sour mood when Shane and Julian arrived. He had a layer of sweaty grime on him. His face felt like there was another, uglier face on it. His hair was in half-hearted braids that weren’t being held down by eyes. He sighed when he saw them. 

“Reed?” Shane stepped forward. 

“Not today Shane.” His gaze jerked to Julian for a moment and a flash of how he thought Julian looked devouring the bodies of his victims echoed behind his eyelids. He squeezed his eyes shut. 

“We’re worried about you,” Shane continued. 

“Not today. Tomorrow, not today.” Reed turned around and went up the stairs, careful not to trip. 

* * *

 

Julian’s arrival in the dead of night was signalled by a pebble then a knock on his window. Reed wanted to ignore it. He wanted to forget any of this was happening. 

“Reed, hey…” Julian didn’t make a sound, even though his bed was a few steps away from his window. The floors should’ve creaked. That must’ve been how he was able to kill Nadia without anyone noticing. 

The way he saw it, he had a couple of options. Tell him to leave, sit up and suck it up, or just let him talk his way out of this one. Julian always had his words. He never got in trouble too much. Neither did Reed, by extension. He never noticed how excellent he was at it until he thought about how he’d acted through each murder, each month, and Reed was none the wiser. He played them all. The circumstances curled to his favor and he had it around his pinky just minutes after he spoke. 

There was no use. Reed sat up. “Julian.” He was hovering a few inches from the floor. 

“You’re upset about Logan.” 

“No fucking shit!” Reed flailed his arms. His lips burned after having gone long enough using profanity.  “What do you think? People have died. Friends died.”

Julian hovered back to the floor. He bit down on the inside of his mouth. “Adam was only after me and Nadia couldn’t care less about you. Logan was going to kill me. They hardly count as friends.” 

“They were still people! With families. And lives.” Reed’s face began to fill with tears. “And you went around like it was nothing! Like you were sad too. And I was going crazy thinking it was me or thinking that we were going to die. So yes, I’m fucking upset.” 

Julian steadied his expression “Am I supposed to let Logan kill me?” 

“How could you know that?! Logan was just like us. Me. Just like me. I mean, he’s sturdier than me by miles, but he was a normal human. You’re… Not anymore. You just showed me burning your tongue and I’m sure you broke that Hummer like it was cheap plastic. How in the hell was he going to kill you?” Reed asked. Julian remained silent. “You had no reason to kill Logan. No one believed him.” 

“You did,” he said. 

“I did but that’s because I’ve been having nightmares about you. And I’m your best friend. I may not be the smartest kid in our high school but I’m up there. I’m not an idiot, given the time we spend together. Even then, if I went to the authorities right now—hell, even if I went to Shane right now—they would look at me like I just took some hardcore drugs. I’d be in a mental institution if I tried to ‘expose’ you. Same with Logan. You. Did not. Have. To. Kill. Him.” 

“What’s going on?” Hilde stood at Reed’s door. “Julian, when did you get here?” 

Reed watched Julian put on a trademark smile. It went from head to toe. Easy as lifting a veil. It was like they weren’t talking about anything out of the ordinary and that it was noon instead of midnight. He walked to her and held her by the shoulders. “Hilde, hi.” Reed saw his mom look up at Julian’s eyes and her lashes flutter. Her expressed blanked. “Listen, Reed and I are just having a chat. Sorry for yelling. Go to sleep, please.” 

“Alright.” She blinked a few times. “Not too late, okay?” Reed glanced at the clock—already way too late by her standards. 

When the door closed, Reed gestured to it, “See?” 

“I don’t know how well that’ll hold with fully conscious people. She’s addled with sleeping pills and actual sleep. It only works when they’re already susceptible.” 

“I guess like Derek and Casey.” 

“Reed…” 

“Or like Nadia.” 

“Please.” 

“Maybe even Adam.” 

Julian clicked his tongue. He crossed his arms and glared at Reed. If Reed weren’t so upset, and correct, he’d cower. “I’ve always looked forward to the day you’d grow that backbone of yours. I never would’ve guessed it would be here.” 

“Having your best friend admit to murdering innocent people and then eating them does that sometimes,” Reed retorted. 

Julian drew in a deep breath. He nodded in the exhale. “I was scared, okay? I didn’t want any loose ends.” 

“I feel like a loose end right now.” 

“Let me just finish,” Julian growled. And it wasn’t just a raspy, deep way for someone to talk. It rumbled from somewhere deeper than his diaphragm. Julian’s cheeks rippled, like something was moving in his jaw. Something sharp. “I was scared that he’d be able to do something. Logan is smart and he’s angry and he’s strong. I don’t know if you noticed but I’m in no state to fight off anything when I’m at my weak point. Logan knew what I am. It’s an easy Google search if you know what to look for. There are a few things out there like me but we’re similar enough. I don’t want to die.”

“If it makes you feel any better, I doubt you can,” Reed muttered. 

Julian sat at the foot of his bed. “I can,” he admitted. “If I don’t feed. I will die. I already died once, I don’t want to do it again. I didn’t think you’d want me to die too.” 

There it was. Reed was falling for his words and a part of him wanted to take the dive. He held his tongue. Julian put him on a forked road where each destination led nowhere good. He didn’t want Julian to die, but he didn’t want anyone else to die. On the other lane, Julian’s death meant he’d lose his best friend, who’d done nothing more than try to survive. Removing himself from the specifics would take too much out of him. Every time he saw Julian, he saw those he tore to pieces and consumed. 

“Is there no other way?” Reed whispered, tears rolling down his face. Julian shook his head. Reed noted how he didn’t offer any alternatives. 

“Whatever brought me back...it’s staying. If we try to reverse anything, it means reversing my resurrection,” Julian said, hanging his head.

Reed pulled his legs towards his chest. He could feel himself be sad for Julian. His mind was fabricating every way he could excuse the next level cannibalism. He wanted to crawl over and hug him. Reed held himself still. Julian always had his way. The world, including Reed, let him have it as much as they could, and this was before he could do mild mind control. Reed rubbed his cheeks on his blanket, deciding tonight was going to be one of those special nights Julian Larson was rejected. 

Reed felt the slap of his silence. He tried to ignore it. He wasn’t sure if this was Julian trying something on him or if this was their correction. Either way, it wasn’t his own. He couldn’t trust it. 

“I know I haven’t cultivated any sort of trust between the two of us,” Julian finally said. His voice was thick with sadness. If it was manufactured, it was pretty close to the natural stuff. Reed had to force himself not to look. “But please understand that I would never do anything to hurt you. I had to do what I did to survive. It’s a lot to take in at once. I should’ve told you earlier but I was afraid that—that you’d react like this.” Julian sniffled. “I guess I focused too much on figuring this out for myself. Focused on myself. And I’ll take it. This. I’ll let you think it through. Take as much time as you want. You know where to find me.” The dip in his bed disappeared. “I still love you, Reed,” he said, somewhere near the window. “I hope you’ll forgive me.” 

The audible close of his window signal his departure. Reed pulled a pillow to his face and wailed, mourning for those people, for his best friend, and for his sanity. His heart began to race, filling his throat until it closed. The chill started from his fingers and toes, spreading until his own sobs echoed back to him like he was hearing them from the bathroom. Again, it took him over for hours and hours. He expected to open his eyes to sunlight. Instead, he was met with blurred darkness. 

He laid in restless silence for another hour then took his phone out. He smoothed out the piece of paper Logan gave him. He called, expecting a voicemail. He had a speech prepared and he hoped he wouldn’t stammer through it. 

“Who’s this?” She asked. 

“Reed,” he replied. “Van Kamp. I’m—”

“I know who you are. I’m Sadie Moore.”

“Can you help?”  

After a pause, she said, “Can you?” 

Reed’s voicemail speech didn’t cover any specifics of how he could be part of fixing the problem. He didn’t know what was waiting on the other line. All Logan told him was to call her if he saw something weird. He figured she’d call him the next morning to get information. 

“I don’t know how,” he said. 

“So you’re willing to go against Julian?” She asked. “You’re willing to take him down?” She didn’t sound hopeful. She didn’t sound like she was trying to intimidate him into a yes. She wasn’t trying to put her words in him. She sounded like she was a machine that only took a yes or a no and would provide a canned response with how to proceed either way.

“Is there even a way to do that?” 

“Yes,” she said, confirming what Julian admitted to earlier. 

“How?” 

“Will you help or not?” Again, no emotion in her voice. Just a question with answers waiting for his answer. 

“Yes,” Reed said, then held his breath. 

After a pause, Sadie said, “But…? Let me know what you’re thinking so I’ll know what I’m working with.” 

“Are you going to kill him?” Reed asked. 

“There isn’t exactly a rehabilitation center for incubi, so yes.” 

Reed squeezed his phone, holding back a sob. He dug the corner of his phone to his forehead, fighting back the rattling panic rising in his chest. He told himself to breathe. He counted each breath. Sadie called for him a few times before Reed replied. “Sorry,” he mumbled. “There’s really nothing else we can do?” 

She sighed. “Reed, I know Julian was your best friend. It’s really sweet. I’ve heard all about how you have been inseparable and how you’ve known each other since you were kids. I understand that. I had a friend like that once.” She paused, indicating nothing. “You also have to understand that the Julian you know is not there anymore. That thing is just Julian’s body, nothing else. It looks like him, talks like him, and moves like him, but it’s not him. It’s a parasite that’ll eat the world unless it’s stop. I’d love not to add to the body count but we’re given no choice. I’m sorry if that doesn’t sit well with you. I hope you won’t be a problem we’ll have to deal with too.” 

“No, no...I’ll help. I’ll do what it takes. This...This can’t keep happening.” More tears rolled out of him but he was keeping himself together. It wouldn’t have to be a long conversation. It was late. Even people like her needed their rest. 

“Good to hear. That doesn’t make me trust you, but it’s a start.” 

Reed’s anger flared. “I just told you I’d help you kill my best friend. How doesn’t that have you trust me?” 

“I don’t know you. For all I know, Julian can be there listening to this call. If so, we’ll be ready for him. If not, then great. We have time on our side, however. Julian’s eaten three people. That’s three months for us to watch and see if you’re not going to lead us to a slaughter. I’ll be in touch. Don’t call this number again.” The line went dead. Reed didn’t sleep until the sun was up. He didn’t go to school that day either. 

* * *

 

The last time Reed and Julian had a fight where they didn’t talk to one another was when Julian borrowed one of Reed’s scarves without his permission and left a stain on it. They were fifteen. Julian got drunk for the first time. Reed just cried for most of it. Reed was the one to reach out to him first. 

Not being together was weird. Feeling him as though they were was weirder. 

He had no idea how to explain it to anyone who asked, especially Shane, whose worry and pity was in every touch and every sentence he said and every gaze Reed met. He resorted to two responses: “It’s none of your business” and/or “I don’t want to talk about it.” 

Julian seemed to do the same. He wasn’t spinning a story, even though he could. He wasn’t giving any kindling for anyone’s flames. They would lock eyes from time to time. Julian would try to smile. All Reed could see was his teeth. All Reed could hear was Sadie telling him that Julian had to die. Going to school was torture but there was nothing he could do. He supposed he had to get used to doing things despite his mental health. He had to get used to have a ghost attached to him. 

From time to time, Julian would leave him a note at his locker. Little reminders, little comments through the day. Julian would text still, at night, after a nightmare. They were all holes in Reed’s icy wall. He wanted to go back to the way things were with Julian then he decided to journal his dreams. They were enough to remind him. 

That wasn’t Julian. That was Julian’s Body, nothing more. 

Sadie left him messages too. Some reminders, some observations. 

_ Eat up. You need your strength.  _

_ Heard you two haven’t spoken at all. I’m sorry. It’s better this way.  _

_ Let’s meet after class. Your backyard. We can talk there.  _

_ Sleep. I’ll worry about the logistics.  _

_ Julian watches you at night. Nothing sinister yet. Salt your entrances.  _

_ You’ll have your rest soon.  _

She was nice. She joked sometimes but he could tell it was something she was learning to get back into, after Dwight. He learned about their connection after the first month. She shared stories about him, slowly. Reed did the same. It was tough at first, but referring to Julian in the past tense made life palatable. Sometimes, she’d be business, suggesting ways for Reed to be of more use. Reed shot them down. He couldn’t be around Julian. Deception was Julian’s thing. All he could do was tell when Julian was going to be hungry and when Julian was going to be weak. That wasn’t going into play for a while.

Reed let himself acknowledge Julian again. Slowly. A nod in the hall. A hi and a hello. Talking about homework, about class. Leaving his own notes. Julian’s clothing choices, comments of his own. Nothing substantial. Nothing that required him to lie. He asked Julian not to come home with him or be alone with him. Julian seemed to understand that. The people around them sighed and settled as they watched their world’s formula make sense again. Reed did it just so Shane would stop bothering him about it. He wasn’t going to drag Shane into it. There were already too many people involved. 

It was nice enough. Reed could pretend like he had his best friend back. Like he couldn’t feel his hunger come and the nightmares go. As much as he wanted to let Julian die the night Jake took him, he couldn’t bear that the last conversation they had was the one in Reed’s room. There had to be more. Even if they were going to be marred by the fact that they were with something that wasn’t Julian anymore. Reed could pretend. 

* * *

 

One more kill to tide him over until graduation and it had to be good. 

Once upon a time, it was going to be Logan Wright, but plans changed. The logical choice would be Reed, but that was complicated. It would’ve been easy because who would ever accuse him of killing his own best friend, even though they were fighting. He could play the grieving friend well. Their lack of contact would be an easy alibi. On top of that, it would get rid of the one remaining person in the know. Shane wasn’t pulled in, which was to be expected. 

And yet, Julian couldn’t bring himself to follow through with that. He was still fond of Reed even though Reed made it clear that this wasn’t a life for him. Part of him still wanted Reed to accept his new life. He had meant it when he said he wanted to share this power with Reed. He had meant it when he said that it would keep Reed safe. Maybe he just needed more time. Julian had been practicing a bit with telepathy. Once, he thought he could move something with his mind, though it was nothing more than a wiggle. He’d been getting better at hovering. There seemed to be no limits to where his abilities could go. If he could show Reed that eating one person per month would be worth the powers, Reed would be more amenable. One out of growing billions. Keeping him around would be good in the long run. Julian would need someone he could trust.  

Reed was avoiding him now. He knew. It was that time of the month again and he felt it more than he saw it in Julian’s fading health. That was for the best. He couldn’t force Reed to partake right away. He needed to show the pros first rather than the cons. He’d have enough of that. 

“Katherine, hey.” Julian stood an appropriate distance from her as he had the last few months. He’d been toying her for a while now. Nothing as in-depth as Nadia or Derek, but just enough to butter her up. 

“Hi.” They did their small talk. They toed around flirtation. She laughed about a comment he made about an ongoing prom-posal in their immediate field of vision. He rolled his eyes. She found it cute. Julian asked her about prom. He knew she wasn’t going. He’d gleaned a piece of it from her thoughts for the last week he’d been practicing. His powers were waning so he couldn’t get any more without straining himself. But she’d been having little dreams of dancing around with Nadia and Nadia telling her to live for her. 

“I don’t know…” She chewed on a nail when Julian suggested it. 

“C’mon. Reed has Shane already. It wouldn’t be too bad. Just as friends. I promise I’ll keep my hands and lips to myself.” He winked. She always liked it when he winked. “I can’t go to prom alone. It’ll be the social death of me.” 

“I’m sure plenty of people are lined up and willing,” Katherine teased. 

“Well, I don’t want them.” 

She blushed. Julian could taste the blood rising with her pulse. “Julian…” 

“Humor me. We’re already just friends. What’s the harm in it?” He could already tell that he’d broken through her and she was just warring with herself. He tuned down his powers. He needed as much reserves as he could with what he was planning. Obviously he couldn’t do it at prom night itself. But the promise of a date would have Katherine out of the house more often than not. Sooner or later, she’d have a late night she wouldn’t come back from. 

* * *

 

Going to prom with Julian wasn’t her best idea. It wasn’t the worst. Since the break stemmed from tragedy, not many people were telling her to cease and desist. There was some concern. She did talk about how she shouldn’t be using other people to get over Nadia’s death and that she needed to stand on her own. This wasn’t the case. Prom wasn’t meant to be a lonely affair. Julian was her friend, in the end. Nothing had to happen. He was good at taking no for an answer when it came to those decisions. 

It was nice, shopping for dresses and make-up again and having fun. Dancing was another monster to slay, but the school play was helping with that. She was coming back to herself. Nadia wouldn’t like to see her waste away, wherever she was. Still, Nadia was everywhere. She imagined this would’ve been the case if Julian lost Reed or vice versa. 

“Thank you for today,” Katherine said. 

“It’s no big deal. I needed to look for a dress anyway,” Sydney replied as she drove them home. The last attack was a few months behind them. Nadia’s more than that. Sydney’s family were kind enough to offer their guest room for her when her peers were getting murdered every month or so. Honestly, Katherine couldn’t find it in herself to stay longer. The Cohens never returned to that house but Katherine had done it out of spite. If she couldn’t come back to her own house, she couldn’t do anything else. Besides, they couldn’t afford to move. She didn’t have a choice either. 

“Do you have a date yet?” Katherine asked. 

Sydney snorted. “Nah. I’m just in the prom committee. I wouldn’t have much time to do any of that, knowing the loafs Ms. Medel saddled me with.” 

“Isn’t Merril with you on that committee?” 

Sydney slapped the air. “Aside from her, I mean. And I’m tired of high school boys, aren’t you?” 

“They’re not all bad,” Katherine said. 

“Sure, sure. I, for one, can’t wait to get out of here. I love my home and I love my brother, but I want to be out there. Like you, Miss Prestigious Dance School.” 

Katherine smiled but it didn’t feel like one to her. This was hers and Nadia’s plans. They weren’t going to the same school, but they were going down the same path. “Aren’t you scared?” 

Sydney glanced over her, noting the turn of her voice. “Hell yeah I am. But all adventures are meant to be. The good ones, at least.” She reached over and squeezed Katherine’s arm. “You’ll do just fine. You’re Katherine Rivers.” Katherine couldn’t help her tears springing up. That was exactly what Nadia would say. 

Before Katherine respond, a loud bang pierced through their moment. She screamed. Sydney swerved the car to the side of the road and turned on the hazard lights. Thankfully, they weren’t at any busy streets. Sydney slammed the heels of her hands on the steering wheel and got out. After surveying the damage, she swore. Katherine followed her. Sydney looked at the house being renovated down the street they drove on then threw a few nails to the ground. 

“At least dad could yell at someone other than me for this.” Sydney tapped away at her phone. “Goddamn Paiges. You’d think a family so anal would have their renovators pay attention to where they drop their shit.” 

“Do you want me to wait up?” Katherine looked at the setting sky. Dinner had gone a bit chatty. Sydney followed her gaze then surveyed the surroundings. It went without saying. The town was still up in arms about walking around alone at night. Katherine went through her own calculations. Her house was two blocks away. It wasn’t completely dark. The last murder was around three months ago. Longer than they’d gone. Everyone dared to think it was all back to normal.

“You go. I’ll be fine right here. Mom’s already on it.” She raised her phone to show the barrage of messages from Mrs. Willis. 

“Are you sure?” 

“Yeah. I don’t want you to be around when the General hears about this.” Sydney reached over to give Katherine a hug. “Be safe. Remember what I taught you if you get grabbed.” 

“Most useful piece of choreography I’ve ever learned.” Katherine chuckled as the hug ended. She grabbed the make-up (a couple of highlighters and lipsticks) from the backseat then left. 

Houses shone with families having their dinners. A pleasant spring breeze eased by and Katherine took in a deep breath of it. She was halfway home, passing a park where a couple of kids from her high school chatted. Normally, she would’ve worn earphones to pass the steps, but they were advised to avoid this. Normally, most of the songs wouldn’t dredge up more memories of Nadia that would make her cry. She settled for the ambient noises for the time being. 

She wasn’t sure if it was the lack of any distractions, but she thought she was being followed. When she looked over her shoulders, or when she paused to gauge the shadows, there was nothing there. The streets were empty except for the cars parked in the driveway. There weren’t too many birds flying about but she doubted they could inspire the kind of paranoid wriggling her skin felt following the sensation of being watched by an unsavory man on a street corner. 

Katherine shook her head. She needed to think of something else to pass the time. Choreography. Sydney’s self-defense sessions. Her upcoming French oral exam. What Julian would be wearing. He sent her a couple of pictures today. She was so glad him and Reed had buried the hatchet in time for prom. Reed always knew how to accentuate Julian’s assets the best. He looked good. 

She tried to think of something else. She couldn’t. Julian had been on and off her mind the whole day but now she was by herself, she wasn’t able to think of anything else. 

“Hey Katherine,” Julian said behind her. She seized up. “Sorry! I didn’t mean to scare you.” 

“Hi, hey, what brings you here?” She asked. Julian’s house wasn’t anywhere near hers. Seeing him here, standing in the shadow of a tree, looking pale like he did, had Katherine’s heart racing and not in the good way. Soon enough that eased the longer she stared at Julian’s smile. 

“I was waiting around for you. I hung around outside your house a little but I figured I’d walk some,” he said. She was leaning on the tree too. 

“Why were you waiting for me?” Her heart was racing in the good way again. Julian reached for her hand and she took it without a second thought. His touch was hot. It spread up her shoulder, to her cheeks. He laced their fingers together and she missed this. 

“I believe I owe you a promposal,” he said. 

“You didn’t have to. We’re just going to this as friends, remember?” She giggled. 

“Let’s keep tradition, shall we? It’s our last year in high school. Might as well.” He began leading her into the woods, following the old path to the abandoned swimming pool. 

“Is it going to be at that pool nobody cares about? How romantic.” She elbowed his side. 

“Well,” he leaned in close. His temperature radiated into her and her knees quivered. “I want it to be special and for it to be special, we’ll need a bit of privacy, don’t you think?” 

Katherine was distracted. She wasn’t sure if it was his cologne or the lick of his lips or in the secret in his eyes or his voice or his touch. It could just be everything. It could be, with Julian Larson. So she didn’t think when she said, “Yeah, sure. Of course.” 

The walk to the year old abandoned building passed like Katherine was floating an inch off the ground. She hadn’t noticed they’d arrived until Julian’s smile widened at her. From a place far in her mind, something nagged. Her heart raced but there was confusion in its direction. She couldn’t tell if it wanted to run towards or run away from something. With Julian, it shouldn’t have been a question. Yet it was. It was dark. How long had it been this dark? 

Julian cupped her face before she could protest. He held brought her close, as though to kiss. She noticed the dark circles under his eyes. His skin was pale, pockmarked by blemishes that didn’t seem natural to him. “Close your eyes,” he whispered. “It’ll be a surprise.” 

“This is too much, Jules,” she touched his hands. His heat was dwindling but she could think of a few ways to warm him up again. 

“Nah, it isn’t. Just something simple. Don’t worry. It’ll be perfect for you,” he said. He pressed a kiss on her forehead. “Now.” He waved his hand over his eyes and she closed them. 

There was still a bit of sun when Julian and Katherine arrived at the room where the pool was. The floor to ceiling windows had long since broken. Their jagged forms cast shadows that mingled with the reflections the stagnant water made with the help of the sunset. Candles encircled the pool. They were all scented but it was still hard to push against the smell of mold and mildew and static nature that took residence in the tiles. Somehow, Katherine still found it romantic. The lighting sold it for her. And the flowers sitting by the edge of the pool. 

Julian played a song on his phone. He put it in his pocket and spun Katherine to him. 

“It was last minute,” he said with a shy dip of his chin. 

“This is more than any other guy would’ve done,” she replied. He swayed them into an easy waltz. 

“I was thinking,” Julian started, “if I were still your boyfriend, I would’ve sung to you. Privately. Maybe outside your window, just to be the tiniest bit cheesy. A song we both liked. Then the whole week, I would’ve brought you flowers, each with a different meaning. Or maybe with names that spelled the word ‘prom.’ Like peonies, roses, orchids, m...more flowers.” 

Katherine snorted. “You’re so lame.” 

Julian’s grin was heart-melting. “I know. You’re making me lame.” 

“Oh so it’s my fault?” 

Julian turned Katherine around, crossing their arms so they could dance with Katherine’s shoulders to his chest, and their arms around her. He pressed his lips on her neck. Her face was turning a very bright pink. “We would’ve been the most disgusting couple at prom. We would’ve rivaled Reed and Shane. Merril and Spencer. You deserve it. You deserve all the cute moments girls can get out of their boys. I would’ve done it for you, if we were still together, but this will have to do. For now.” 

“For now?” She looked up. Their eyes met and Julian lifted a hand to her jaw. 

“Your choice,” he murmured. She could feel his words linger on her lips. 

Many teens have done their sordid activities at this place since it’d been abandoned. Not all of them were sexual. Not all of them were legal. Katherine never thought she’d be one of them. It wasn’t because she thought she was above all that. It just wasn’t her scene. Somehow Julian made it accessible to her. 

He’d pressed her up a wall, his lips hungry and so were hers. His hands were up her dress. Cool fingertips pressed into her thigh, surprising at first but her warmth cancelled it out. He lifted it up his waist, one then the other. She could feel him through his jeans. The outline of him reminded her of all those nights both of them struggled to remain quiet under the sheets. His expert tongue promised what would come next if it left her mouth. She pushed back a moan that came just thinking about him going down on her. His fingers—how she recalled those times his fingers had made her scream before he even started with the main event—fisted her hair, keeping their faces close. 

Just as Julian was about to unclasp her bra through her dress, Reed’s voice cut through the haze. “Julian, stop!” And Julian did. Katherine gasped, realizing how cold she and Julian were. It was darker than she remembered. “Katherine, step away from him. Please.” 

“Really, Reedy? I thought you didn’t have the stomach to watch me do this.” Katherine took in her surroundings. Her dress was ruined by the dirt and grime on the walls. She couldn’t believe she was getting undressed with Julian here, let alone have sex. She didn’t even remember half the journey here. 

“Katherine.” Reed stood a few feet away. His jean was cut, possibly from entering through one of the broken windows. “Let’s go. You’ve got no business being here.” 

“Stay where you are.” This was the first time Julian raised his voice at her since that fight that led to the break-up. Katherine wanted to push past him but found herself staying. She wasn’t sure why. 

“Jules, let her go,” Reed pleaded. 

“I’m hungry. I need to eat or else I die.” 

Reed shuddered and pulled out a long knife before Katherine could suggest a nearby diner. It wasn’t a kitchen knife. It was the kind of knife that Katherine saw on those survival shows. The ones that could saw through anything and cut anything. It glinted in the candlelight. 

“Oh my god. Are you serious?” Julian chuckled. “Fine. Have it your way.” He whirled around. A scream thrashed in her throat but couldn’t escape. Julian’s eyes were white slits. He unhinged his jaw and roared, teeth elongating into gnarly spikes. 

“Katherine, run,” Reed screamed.

Katherine fell over as Julian dove toward her, teeth first.

* * *

 

Sadie swung the pool doors open and pulled the trigger on her taser. The two darts dug into Julian’s forehead and did its job. His weapon of a maw shrunk while he convulsed and growled, clawing at his face. She yanked Katherine away by the arm. “Move! Crawl! Run! Do something!” Katherine screamed. “Do that while moving!” Sadie slid forward and slammed her boot into Julian’s chest. “Reed!” 

Reed ran towards her and handed her the knife. He went to Katherine afterwards, tripping on his way. Sadie swung at Julian who caught the knife with his forearm. He began to bleed but the effects of the taser had worn off. He yanked the bolts out. He swiped her on the side. She yelped falling to the ground. Her limbs weakened for a moment as blood dampened her shirt. She flipped her hair away. Julian’s fingers had grown a few inches, white as bone and sharp as razors. The tips were flecked with her blood. 

“Where’d you find Buffy the Vampire Slayer here?” Julian asked. 

“She found me first,” Reed said. 

“She is right here.” Sadie swiped Julian’s ankles and he fell prone. Sadie jumped on his back and raised her knife. He flung them both a few feet into the air. She toppled off of him, dropping the knife. Julian hovered over her, sucking on his fingers. 

“You’ve got to try better than that,” he said as he landed. He leaned over and grabbed her by the neck, lifting her like she was a ragdoll. She clung to his wrist. “I assume you work alone?”

“Yes,” she croaked. 

He scoffed. “Too easy. There are more, I know it. Usually I’m more of a gentleman and I’d let you finish and bathe in the afterglow for a second before finishing you off all the way through, but this is an emergency.” Before Julian could yank her heart out with his other claw, Sadie swung her leg, hooked it over the shoulder Julian was using to keep her up in the air. She squeezed her thighs around his arm then rolled in the air. There was a snap. Julian cried out. She landed on her side, pain shooting down to her teeth. She dragged herself away from Julian’s flailing and cursing. He popped his shoulder back, glaring at her. 

“Too easy,” she smirked. 

“If I weren’t in the mood to literally eat you out,” Julian advanced, “I would’ve taken you out on a date. What’s your name?” 

“Fuck you,” she retorted. 

“Nice name. Sounds French.” His jaw popped open again. Sadie whirled around for a weapon but the nearest rock was more than arm’s length. She pushed herself toward it. Katherine screamed again. Something slammed against her, almost throwing her into the pool. She turned as Reed screamed. Julian’s teeth had sunk into his shoulder. Their eyes met. It wasn’t too close to anything vital. Any lower, Reed would be dead. If Julian hadn’t pulled away, Reed would be bleeding out. At least now, he was just bleeding. He was well enough to lift his head. 

“Don’t make me eat you.” There was no fire in his tone. He almost sounded regretful. His eyes didn’t linger on Reed but went to her right away. Sadie reminded herself what she was dealing with. And what he’d done. 

“Now!” 

A canister clanged onto the tiles. Julian paid it no mind, instead throwing Reed into a wall with a short kick and stalking towards Sadie. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. The canister hissed. Julian’s growl turned into a hacking cough, interspersed with surprise. A couple of hands went under her shoulders, pulling her upright and away. Her close lids tingled with the sharp scent of the gas. Out of the cloud, she let herself breathe and open her eyes. The air around them still tasted bitter with only a memory of sweetness. The amount of times Morgan’s St. John’s Wort concentrate saved their asses continued to stun her. Lucas’ manic grin mirrored her thoughts. 

“I have him down,” Morgan shouted behind the dissipating smoke. “Hurry! The effects won’t last too long!” 

Lucas helped Sadie up. She shrugged him away. Her body creaked and protested with each motion she made but her grief was coming to a new head as she watched the smoke dissipate and Julian in a headlock. “Lucas, weigh him down. Morgan, his arms.” She snatched the knife from the floor. She bit down her lips to shove back the whimper that ached to let itself known. Each step was determined. Julian began to thrash, his body rising from the ground, looking for a way out. Morgan and Lucas kept him grounded. 

“Reed! Reed please! Stop them. I know you don’t want to do this. Please!” He was a good actor, Sadie could give him that. It was compelling, tear-jerking. She had to glare at Reed so he’d stay in place, holding his shoulder. 

“Shut him up,” Sadie said. Morgan gagged him by upturning a pouch of rock salt and horehound seeds into his mouth. His scream was garbled and watery. Smoke rose from his lips. He sobbed. Chest heaving, face dampening. She pitied him. Not the monster that she straddled, but the boy who was in this body before. Incubi could only access the faculties the body already possessed. Julian was talented. It was a performance that would’ve swayed her if he didn’t destroy the lives of her and those closest to her. 

Julian pleas came out in broken whines and half-words. When his beseeching gaze fell to Reed’s scrunched up eyes and turned away face, his eyes turned into slits. He leaned up to bite her but Morgan slammed an elbow into his nose. Then he put a silver chain across Julian’s neck, pressing him down. 

Sadie put the knife against Julian’s heart. She leaned in close. “This is for Dwight.” Then she shoved it right in. Julian choked on air. Sadie relaxed and breathed for the first time since Dwight was found torn open. Tears shimmered in her vision. She slumped off of the body, counting her breaths. 

“Sade,” Lucas put his hand on her shoulder, “we have to clean up.” She nodded. Her eyes refocused to the present, taking account of their murder scene and what needed to be done to avoid suspicion. Morgan was already checking Reed’s shoulder. Katherine was staring into space. 

She couldn’t rest until she’d washed this day off her skin. 


	14. One Dark Favor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reed looks for peace. Does he find it?

Going to the cemetery after graduation seemed like the right thing to do. Friends and family alike went to the graves that deserved their graduation caps. The sun was peeking a little behind the clouds. They weren’t quite gray but they weren’t white either. Nevertheless, the atmosphere wasn’t too melancholic. People were sharing stories, laughing. Flowers were placed down by the bundles, this time with less tears and more comments. They spoke as though the people weren’t in the ground. It was the rowdiest the place had been in ages. 

People began leaving when the clouds grew heavy. Most of them were gone by the time it was drizzling. The rain remained mild as the summer morning they had. Reed was the only one standing by himself out in the open. 

Katherine approached him with an umbrella. They shared a smile before she got to him. 

“He always liked the rain,” Reed said. “The harder it poured, the happier he was. He would stand in it like this until he was drenched. He never got sick.” His soft smile went back to the straight line. He faced the fresh grave again, lost in his thoughts. Katherine didn’t pry. She held his hand and he held back. The grave had a graduation cap. There was a wreath of flowers, made primarily of forget-me-nots. 

More than a month passed since the events at the abandoned pool and Katherine still felt uneasy standing over Julian’s grave, knowing what he did and what she did to cover it up. Of course, she couldn’t tell the truth. No one could. Sadie, Lucas, and Morgan made sure that their bases were covered. The crime scene was cleaned off candles and anything incriminating right before the police showed up. Katherine was coached through a fabricated story and a fabricated assailant. There was a picture of a man Sadie said was going to be the suspect. When asked who it was, all she said it was someone who didn’t mind having his face being America’s Most Wanted. He was going to be a cold case for the decade. He attacked her and Julian. Julian saved her and she escaped. That was the story. 

“Thank you for coming to get me,” Reed said. “I know you aren’t his biggest fan.” 

Katherine brushed off the bristles that rose. “I have to get used to it. You said it yourself. That wasn’t Julian. It was close enough but Julian didn’t turn himself into that thing.” She didn’t like that her best friends’ murderer was portrayed as a hero but Sadie said it was the only way for the scene to make sense. Reed preferred it that way too. Reed was a better person than they all were. Or more naive and sentimental, depending on how Katherine was feeling at the moment. She had to remind herself that Reed didn’t know what Julian was doing and that, in the end, he lost his best friend to the monster too. People found comfort wherever they could. Far be it from her that she’d judge a harmless coping mechanism. 

“I still appreciate it all the same,” he said, hugging her with one arm. She hugged back. He winced. 

“Shoulder still giving you trouble?” Flashes of teeth and slit eyes wandered in her memory. She closed her eyes to wish them away. 

“It comes and goes. Morgan checks on me from time to time. I’m not dying any time soon,” he said. 

“Are you sure you don’t need to bring it to a professional?” 

Reed chuckled. “With a bite from an incubus, I think they’re the only professionals available. I’m not in the mood to go looking for more trouble.” 

Katherine tittered with a sigh. “Good point.” 

Reed looked at his phone and said, “Let’s go.” Katherine didn’t need to be told twice. She turned away from Julian’s grave. She couldn’t wait to put miles and years from this place. 

“Got somewhere to be?” Katherine asked. 

“Yeah. There’s this concert at a place couple of hours away from here,” he said. “Tickets go on sale in a bit.”

“You don’t sound too excited,” she said. 

Reed shrugged. “Today’s been a weird day.” Katherine recognized the feeling and decided not to pry. They all had those days. 

“Are you going with Shane?” 

“No. Shane has that family trip on those dates. Around early August? Julian would’ve come with.” Katherine nodded. Reed was on that path of grief. She couldn’t imagine Reed at a concert of any sort by himself. He was too fragile. Then again, Reed survived more dangerous things. He might’ve wanted to try something new. 

“I hope you get good seats. Do I know who you’re watching?” 

“Five Seconds of Summer. Judge me all you want. Shane does.”

“Hey, I’m not here to yuck anyone’s yum. I kinda like them. I would go with you if I didn’t have to go with my mom to New York to get used to the transit system.” 

“Too bad then. Next time?” 

“Next time.” They squeezed each other’s hands again. 

Even if Reed was associated with the darkest piece in Katherine’s life, she was still glad to be around him. She always liked him. And it helped that he was someone she could talk to about what happened without feeling like she was going insane. 

* * *

 

The rain stopped in time for the sun to set. Sadie looked out her window. Various crystals glittered on her desk as she sipped her tea and listened to a podcast that was working under the comedic guise of a podcast discussing myths. In reality, it was a prime resource for her line of work with the supernatural. Dwight had found it. She’d been listening to it ever since. Sometimes, she liked to imagine that she was just there to listen to two women joke around about how best to kill a wendigo or something other, consuming it like fiction. Lucas suggested they start their own podcast and market it as fiction rather than reality. Dwight vetoed it. Sadie wished he hadn’t. She wished she had more of his memories around her, even though she had plenty. They all did. 

Her phone rang. She paused the podcast and ran a thumb across her waterline. “Reed, hi. Congrats on graduating.” 

“Thanks.” He sounded far away. Not like he was on speakerphone. His voice was there but his thoughts were elsewhere. She waited for it. “Sadie, I need one favor.” 

Sadie reclined. “Sure. What do you need?”

“An alibi.” 

* * *

 

Five Seconds of Summer had nothing on The Next Exit. 

The show the played the day after 5SOS was louder and more packed. There were rumors that the other band didn’t play the sold out show that they bragged about but since an up and coming band like The Next Exit had—The Next Exit, who were nobodies less than a year ago—the other band’s pride, and marketing team, couldn’t didn’t handle it well. They were unsubstantiated but Jake didn’t care. They were on the lap of luxury. Their music was being heard. They were rising higher than they’d dreamed of. It was well-worth the sacrifice they had made. 

They stumbled back to their hotel suite that had a great view of the city, pride in their grins, alcohol in their laughter. The others hounded Jake for getting tail with a fanboy, the first of many. Jake called them all hypocrites. 

Food with names they couldn’t pronounce waited for them when they opened the door. Jasper opened wine older than all of them and drank straight from the bottle. Clay shook open champagne. It was tradition for them now to dance under the spray after every show. They were making so much money that the label couldn’t care less. Robin took out their stash of coke. They weren’t scheduled for anything the next day. The rest of the night was still waiting for them. They changed out of their hundred dollar clothes to thousand dollar ones before they hit the club scene. Jake couldn’t be the only one to get laid tonight. It didn’t seem fair. 

Everything was golden until they found Jasper’s body on the floor in front of a closet. His throat was slashed open. Blood spatter was on the walls, the ceiling, and the bed. Surprise was frozen in his mouth and eyes. The air around Jake tightened, turning cold. Clay and Robin screamed. Jake didn’t get nauseated by gore. He’d watched all the Saw movies without flinching. This was hardly anything. He wasn’t just seeing it this time. The dull smell of wet rust dug into his nose. Jasper’s face, a face that he was laughing with moments ago, was far closer than any actor. 

“Oh my god, we should call the police,” Clay said from where he fell over after seeing Jasper. “Get out of here.” 

“Are you high?!” Jake said. 

“Yes,” Clay interrupted. “We all are.” 

“Exactly. We’d be fucked if we get people in here right now,” he said. He pushed Robin towards their table. “Help me flush the drugs. They’ll probably find drugs in Jazz when they investigate but they won’t be able to pin anything on us. Clay, get rid of the weed. It’s in my bass’ bag.”

“That’s in there with…” Clay dragged his hands down his face. 

“Do it quick then! We can get out of here faster if you stop bitching.” Jake threw a the champagne cork at him. Clay scrambled to his feet and tiptoed into the room.

Robin cleaned up the coke and rinsed it away in the suite’s kitchen sink. Jake wiped their table clean with some vodka then threw food at it so it wouldn’t seem too clean. Inside the room, they heard Clay flush whatever leftovers they had. 

“Let’s go,” Jake announced when he was done with his set up. Robin walked with him. Before they got to the door, they noticed Clay wasn’t with them. They called his name a few more times, then Jake rolled his eyes. He stomped back into the room. He was always a soft one. He was probably crying over Jasper. Jake was too scared to be sad. There was time to mourn when they got of here. 

They didn’t find Clay with Jasper or anywhere in the room. “Hey, Rizzo,” Jake shouted. “You can take a shit later. We need to go now. You better not be smoking that weed.” He opened the bathroom door to find Clay slumped with his head inside of the toilet. A finger twitched. Then nothing. Jake forced himself not to vomit. He forced himself not to scream. He ran. 

“Robin, dude! Get your phone out. Call the police. We need to lea—”

In the dining area, Robin was held up by his throat by a figure dressed in all black. Their back was facing Jake. They were a few inches off the ground. Robin was taller than the figure but he was lifted high enough to be flailing around like a fish on a fishing rod. His eyes darted between the face under the hood and Jake’s. His breaths and words came in half-bursts and squeaks. Jake was high but he shouldn’t be high enough to be making this up. He knew what this one.

“Put him down!” Jake stepped towards his friend and the figure. He would attack but this wasn’t the time for offense. “We did the ritual right. We followed everything down to the letter. It said that you wouldn’t come to collect our souls for another fifty years. This isn’t how it’s supposed to go.” 

The figure threw Robin towards the door. There was a crack and a thud. “Robin?” Jake’s lip quivered. No one responded. The figure floated to the floor. They pulled their hood down to show a halo of reddish-blond curls, turning. It was that boy, from that town. The best friend. 

“You’re right,” he said, apathetic. “This isn’t how it’s supposed to go. That’s your fault.” Jake had no time to process what was happening or how it was happening. He ran for the door. The boy didn’t seem to move but he was on Jake before he could get five steps in. He got flung into the floor. The air was slammed out of him. His world spun below him then something sharp and thick got rammed through his forearm. He shrieked. The pain was lightning strike after lightning strike. His first instinct was to remove his limb from what was hurting him. It only caused him more lightning. As soon as vision refocused, it dimmed again. A metal stake had him pinned to the floor. 

Each step the boy took around him was agony. Jake sobbed. He didn’t think this would happen. He remembered this kid. He was the type to run and hide at the sound of a drumbeat. Now he was a killer with superpowers. Their fame was supernatural enough. He couldn’t imagine anything more than this. 

Music began to play. It took Jake a minute of howling and cursing to realize that it was the first song off their album. The boy squatted beside him. He clutched his pinned arm. It was already going numb as the blood seeped into more carpet. 

“He wasn’t a virgin,” he said. Jake’s eyes widened. “You killed him. You turned him into a monster.” He unzipped his jacket and showed his shoulder. It was every color of a bruise with a several dips in new, pink skin. “Did you know that if you’re bitten by a demon, and you live, you might get some of its powers? We didn’t either. I guess you and I both learned that the hard way.” Reed knelt onto the floor. He squeezed Jake’s free arm. 

“No, please!” 

“You’re beyond ‘please,’ Jake Paige.” The boy’s face tightened with his grip. His muscles screamed in protest. “Beyond bribes. Beyond bargains with the infernal.” He slammed Jake’s arm down. Jake saw the stake before it went through him. He screamed until his throat was raw. In the background, Robin continued to sing Clay’s lyrics. 

“Please,” he begged, tears staining his face. “Don’t kill me. I don’t want to go yet. I’m sorry. I’m sorry!” 

The boy took out a bloody knife. He pressed it on Jake’s cheek. The metal bit and burned his skin. He slid the flat end down Jake’s jaw, his pulse, his collarbone, his chest. Each time it paused, Jake flinched, causing the pain on his half-numb forearms to come crashing through every nerve in his body. He was lightheaded from all the screaming. The boy pulled the knife away and sighed. Just as Jake thought his pleas were being heard, the boy stabbed him in the stomach. He left it there. 

“That’s for Julian.” Then he stood and left.

Pain wracked through Jake. The lights went out. The smell of blood swirled in every breath. Their songs continued to play. He could feel his blood oozing out of him. He would scream but he’d lost too much to do so. His back was damp with his own blood. He would be dead soon but not before hearing their album play on repeat three more times. He sobbed until he couldn’t muster another inhale.

* * *

 

Plenty of media cautioned against seeking revenge. That it was hollow, futile, and ultimately unsatisfying. Nothing good could come from it. An eye for and eye made the whole world blind, killing them would return what he lost—all that stuff. 

Julian was still dead. Nothing short of actual time travel could change the tragedies that befell the town. But Reed found himself smiling when he saw the news of The Next Exit’s massacre all over the internet. It was fleeting. Reed wouldn’t be able to clear his conscience completely of what he’d done. What got him through it was knowing that they paid for what they’d done. Knowing that their souls were claimed by the damned without getting what they murdered Julian for. 

Though Reed’s grief would stay with him for as long as he lived, he at least had the good things. He had his family. He had Shane. He had his art. He had his memories of Julian. He had He had his silver linings. Life wasn’t meant to be easy but it was better than an eternity of torture. Reed found his peace in that. 


End file.
